A NORTH-WEST SKYE FC ANNOUNCEMENT
We are delighted to announce that North-West Skye FC’s application to join the Highland Youth Development League programme from the 2023/24 season has been approved by the Highland League.
Our current U16s squad is now set to go forward to compete at U18s in the Highland Youth League next season – starting in August. We're expecting to be in the North Division and so the squad – and the football club – can look forward to home (on the Portree Astro) and away fixtures with the likes of Inverness Clach, Buckie Thistle, Nairn County, and Keith FC.
North-West will become the first ever Scottish island club to compete in the HYDL – and the sole current representatives from the West Coast.
North-West will also, of course, continue to enter, and compete in our local Skye & Lochalsh Junior Football Association leagues and tournaments at all age levels, including U18s.
The club’s entry into the Highland league is the culmination of two years’ effort and hard work on behalf of the football club’s committee and youth coaches. It simply wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions of Jason Bold, Simon Wallwork, John Masson, Katie Martin, Calum Campbell, Neil Burrows, Maressa Munro, Graham Campbell, Kenna MacInnes, Angie Macintosh, Gareth Samuels, Malky Beaton, Peter Martin, and Nick Moore.
We are also indebted to and hugely appreciative of: our club sponsors Muirhall Energy; Michael Mackenzie and Mark Slater at the SFA; Tommy Regan at Alness Utd; Graham Wilson at the Highland League; Phil McCaherty, Jacqui Murchison and everyone at the Skye & Lochalsh Junior Football Association; Scott Milne and Karen Allan at the Fingal Centre; Sarah Ross and Roddy Macleod at High Life Highland; Heckie Cormack and Angie Macintosh (again) for taking charge of our U16s games throughout this past year; and all the coaches and players from Balloan, Alness Utd, Nairn County, Keith FC, Dingwall FC, Buckie Thistle, Uist & Barra FC, and Wester Ross who’ve travelled to play, and/or entertained us at U16s over this season.
A massive thank you to our volunteers and parent supporters who’ve laid on Champions League-standard hospitality for our visiting clubs all season.
The biggest nod, though, must go to our U16s and now U18s Highland Youth League squad. It’s been a different, more Skye representative group we’ve progressed with from this season. The manner in which they’ve come together, and their commitment to that process, has been outstanding.
We’ll update soon on our plans and with further details (including fixtures) for the forthcoming – and our first – Highland Youth League Development season and pre-season.
