Dingwall Academy Scottish Shield winning heroes to reunite on 30th anniversary
THIRTY years ago, Dingwall Academy made history by becoming the first Highland school to win the Scottish Schools FA Under-18 Shield.
They remain the only school from the Highlands to ever win the national competition.
On Saturday, players from the squad are set to reunite at the Global Energy Stadium in Dingwall when they will be welcomed on to the pitch at half time when Ross County take on Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.
1994 was a big year for football in the Highlands. Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle were accepted in the Scottish Football League dawning a new era for football in the north.
However, schoolkids from Dingwall were also making themselves heard on the national stage.
The final took place at Hampden Park on Thursday, May 26 1994 when Dingwall Academy beat Cardinal Newman High School from Bellshill 1-0 thanks to a goal from Neal Sinclair.
Former head of physical education at Dingwall Academy Jack Sutherland was the head coach of the senior team. He said there was a real determination among everyone in the squad to make their long trip to Hampden count.
He said: “We had no background information on our opponents in any of the rounds.
“We did not have the time to go and watch the opposition play as we were so busy ourselves.
“We went into the final, not knowing much about our opponents, which wasn’t the best preparation.
“But we had faith in our own team, if we played to the best of our abilities, we could win.
“I remember saying to them before going on to the park, it is as well getting knocked out in the first round as to get beat in the final. We have come all this way, we are not just going to Hampden just for the occasion, we have come here with a purpose to win the trophy.
“It was a big achievement for these lads and I was delighted that youngsters at that age for under-18’s to play in the national stadium was a great achievement.”
Dingwall Academy defeated Elgin High School, Tain Royal Academy, Perth High School, Shawlands High School and Oldmachar Academy on their way to reaching the final when they beat Cardinal Newman High School.
News of Dingwall Academy being crowned Scottish champions soon reached the town and they were given a heroes welcome when they returned.
Despite it being a school night, the team had to travel back north the same night that they won the Scottish Schools Shield.
But Sutherland said that when they arrived back, everyone was in the mood to celebrate their success.
“We didn’t get back until the early hours of the morning,” he said.
“We didn’t see many people, but the whole town got behind us, and the whole school was given a half day holiday by the rector to celebrate the occasion.
“We got a civic reception by the town council in Dingwall and we paraded the trophy at one of the Ross County games at the start of the season.
“It was a big and massive achievement because up until that time, no school outwith the central belt had won the trophy. We are the only Highland school to have won the trophy.
“It is so interesting that everything seems to happen in the same year. Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle moved up to the Scottish Football League and us winning the Scottish Schools FA Under-18 Shield.
“It was a great time for football in the north and we all made history by doing successful things in football.”
Some players from the victorious Dingwall Academy squad went on to sign for big clubs. Goalkeeper Michael Rae went on to sign for Rangers and forward Alan Houston went on to sign for Aberdeen. Paul Cowie, who was also in the squad, is now a coach at Ross County.
Sutherland (80), who lives in Maryburgh, says there were other players in the squad who were good enough to make it as professional players, but decided to follow other career paths.
He said: “Michael Rae went on to sign for Rangers and Alan Houston went on to sign for the Aberdeen. Others were good enough to sign for big clubs, but they decided to go on to university and they had their educations to follow.
“I could always see the quality in the squad of players as I had been working with them for two or three years. I taught the boys in PE classes, they came through the younger age group, they were under-15, under-14 and under-13 and had them for two years prior to winning the Scottish Shield.”
Sutherland was a former football player himself with Ross County and Clachnacuddin when he played on the wing and midfield.
He first taught at Dingwall Academy between 1965 and 1970 before he then moved to Fortrose Academy.
He then returned to Dingwall Academy in 1975 to become head of the physical education department and retired in 1999.
In his teaching years, he was nominated Scottish and UK coach of the year with the school producing athletes in various sports during his time.
Today, he enjoys watching Ross County, where he is a season ticket holder and goes to watch every home match at the Global Energy Stadium in Dingwall.
He is organising the 30-year anniversary of Dingwall Academy’s Scottish Shield victory along with former History teacher at Dingwall Academy, Don Esson, who coached under 13’s–15’s age groups at the school at the time.
The reunion will take place in the Hamilton Suite at Ross County and will be attended by the great majority of the squad, together with some invited guests.
It is planned that the squad will make an appearance on the park at half time just as they did when parading the trophy to a very receptive crowd there, in 1994.
He said it will be the first time the squad have held a reunion and hopes that it will bring back good memories to a lot of people.
He said: “Most of the squad that were involved are planning to come along to the celebration. There are a few players who are now working abroad who won’t be able to make it.
“But I am sure it will be a great occasion and bring back a lot of happy memories.”
