Skye Camanachd has only had only twelve first team managers since the club reformed in 1969.
At that time, team selection was made by a seven-man selection committee. However matters came to a head in the mid-70s when a squad of 19 players was selected for an away match but less than a team of 12 actually turned up!
A committee meeting thereafter decided that having one manager in charge was the best way forward and Donnie MacKinnon was selected as the first team manager. MacKinnon managed the side from 1976 until 1981 and his side won the Sutherland Cup in 1979.
MacKinnon was succeeded by his assistant manager John Angus Morrison in 1981 and he won the Sutherland Cup in his first season in charge with victory over Glasgow University in Oban.
Calum Murchison took over for a 3 year period in 1986 and had a Torlundy Cup win – with Willie Cowie winning player of the tournament - to his name.
Ross Cowie took the hot-seat in 1989 and led the team to the most successful period in the club’s history. Runners up in North Division 1 and MacTavish Cup runners up were second prizes but Cowie’s team won the biggest prize of all when they took the 1990 Camanachd Cup over the sea to Skye for the one and only time in the club’s history when two goals apiece from Willie Cowie and John MacRae clinched a 4-1 win over Camanachd Cup veterans Newtonmore. Over 2,000 people waited in the Square in Portree for the team’s triumphant late night return.
Ross Cowie went on to become the first team’s longest serving manager clocking up a total of 8 years from his 3 periods in charge.
John Finlayson took over from Cowie in 1991 but had to contend with a depleted squad due to several retrials and injury problems.
Cowie again led the team from 1994 before Angie Murchison’s appointment in 1998 which coincided with the opening of the new Clubhouse and pitch at Pairc nan Laoch. Murchison’s team qualified for the new National Division 1 in his first season and won the Division the year after, giving Skye their first spell in the Marine Harvest Premier League.
Ross Cowie returned for a year as manager in 2001/02 but the team were relegated from shinty’s top flight and he was followed by DR MacDonald for one year with Murchison (briefly) again and Donnie Martin having turns at the helm before the appointment of Ally Morrison in 2006.
Morrison introduced a youthful squad and got his rewards when the team won the 2008 Balliemore Cup Final.
Angie Murchison took over again at the start of the 2009 season but he stood down during that league campaign and was replaced by his assistant manager Aonghas MacDonald.
MacDonald led the side until the end of the 2011 season but his work commitments made it impossible for him to carry on.
Willie MacRae was appointed as MacDonald’s replacement in 2012 and he led the team to a second place Marine Harvest North Division 1 finish in his first season in charge before a disappointing campaign a year later, finishing fourth in the six-team league, saw the side drop into shinty’s third tier following league reconstruction.
John MacLeod took the baton in 2014 and won Marine Harvest North Division 1 and the Balliemore Cup. Skye faced a step-up the year later but took that in their stride, winning the Marine Harvest National Division and a return to the Marine Harvest Premiership.
The list of Skye Camanachd managers since the club reformed in 1969 is as follows;
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Period
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First Team Manager
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1969 - 1976
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Selection Committee
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1976 - 1981
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Donnie MacKinnon
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1981 - 1986
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John Angus Morrison
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1986 - 1989
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Calum Murchison
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1989 - 1992
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Ross Cowie
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1992 - 1994
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John Finlayson
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1994 - 1998
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Ross Cowie
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1998 - 2001
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Angie Murchison
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2001 - 2002
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Ross Cowie
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2002 - 2003
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DR MacDonald
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2003 - 2004
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Angie Murchison
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2004 - 2005
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Donnie Martin
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2006 - 2008
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Ally Morrison
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2009 - 2009
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Angie Murchison
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2009 - 2011
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Aonghas MacDonald
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2012 - 2013
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Willie MacRae
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2014 -
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John MacLeod
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