Memory Lane – Season 1989 / 90 – Part 1. | |
02 March 2010 Background.
The 1989-90 season turned out to be the most famous in Skye Camanachd’s history as the Islanders came from no-where to win shinty’s greatest prize.
The previous season Skye finished in 5th place in North Division 1, winning only 5 of their 14 league games. Although the team scored a respectable 48 goals, they conceded a massive 64 goals – an average of almost 5 per game which was the worst in the league - and earned only 12 points from their 14 games. This included a humiliating 17-0 defeat at the Dell to Kingussie.
The start of the 1989-90 season was not without its difficulties. Both Willie Cowie and John MacRae were serving suspensions carried forward from the previous season. Calum Murchison’s availability was limited due to his off-shore work and promising wing centre Calum MacDonald had relocated to London.
However on the plus side, Caley MacLean was home following his trip to Australia, Duncan MacDougall returned to the side on a regular basis, Willie MacKinnon returned from college, and Willie MacRae and Willie Cowie had rejected offers to play Highland League football to concentrate on shinty.
There was also a new manager at the helm and fitness was to the fore. Manager Ross Cowie employed fitness coach Gerry Akroyd and the message to the players was simple and very clear – no train, no play! It was a strategy that was to provide a return greater than anyone could possibly imagine.
We were playing in the old winter season format which started in September and ended in June. |