Fort William & Kilmallie In Secret Super-Club Talks. | |
01 April 2011 Scottish Hydro Premier Division sides Fort William and Kilmallie are in secret talks to join forces and form a new super-club ahead of the 2012 shinty season. The plan would see both clubs amalgamate to form one super-club which could dominate shinty for years to come. The new club will be known by the name of Fort Mallie and it has been agreed that they will play in a blue and yellow strip. They will play their matches at the Canal Parks which will shortly have a brand new changing room complex. This will ease pressure on the use of An Aird which is in need of upgrading. The new Fort Mallie squad will be led by a management team headed by current Scotland Head Coach Drew McNeil. He will be assisted by current Fort William boss Peter McIntyre, whose son Peter plays for the present Kilmallie side, and Kilmallie stalwart John Morrison. Current Camanachd Association Operations Manager Astie Cameron, who played for Fort William in the 1960s, will be drafted in as defensive coach. The playing squad, on paper at least, would be more than a match for any other team in shinty. The attack would see senior Scotland internationals John Stewart of Kilmallie and Gary Innes of Fort William link up with Scottish U21 internationals Michael Rodger of Kilmallie and his cousin Duncan Rodger, who plays for the Fort, making up a potent quartet. There is likely to be some initial animosity from supporters of these great rivals but those who head the plan are confident that such resistance will be short-term and the longer-term vision is of a club which will bring success to the area for many years to come. |