Field of dreams for 'Britain's worst football side'

Published on Friday 14 August 2009 22:04

THE start of the new football season is traditionally met by optimistic fans eager to see their team notch up goals and victories.

However, loyal fans of what has been dubbed Britain's worst football club could be forgiven for looking forward to the season with dread instead of anticipation.

Fort William FC are already three weeks into their Highland League campaign. And so far, they have conceded 15 goals and failed to win a single point.

In fact, they took just one point from 28 games last season and have failed to win a single match since September 2007.

Now, however, a new committee and sponsors have come on board, accompanied by a fresh sense of confidence that their days of defeat and drubbings will soon disappear.

A 6-0 defeat seems an unlikely source of optimism, but last year Fort lost 11-0 to Deveronvale. In midweek, nearly 200 supporters also saw them narrowly lose a cup tie 4-3 to Rothes.

Hopes are now turning to today's home tie with Forres for the start of their fightback.

"There have been a lot of dark days," said David Macdonald, who has missed just two home games since 1985. "But you can see some light at the end of the tunnel."

But the new sense of confidence does not come from a once-predicted influx of American players and dollars.

The Cincinatti-based millionaire Paul McDonald, whose ancestors came from Mallaig, mooted the idea of filming Fort William's struggle for a US TV audience, charging interactive website subscribers 25 a head to help select the team and taking it "from worst to first".

The deal was expected to earn the Highlanders at least 200,000, but has now been postponed, possibly until the 2010-11 season.

However, the club has signed a 10,000-a-year sponsorship deal with the Underwater Centre in Fort William where the management is used to turning defeats into victories, having bought the business in receivership five years ago and made it into one of the area's major employers. There are now plans for a new stand, integrated sports facilities and a winning side, based on a five-year plan to develop the youth structure and a reserve team.

As John Wattsman, club chairman, said recently: "We haven't closed the door on the American Dream… but we cannot wait for the dream. We have to deal with reality."

Gavin Mackinnon, the Underwater Centre's member on the club committee, said it is investing cash and time to help the club.

"There is a really bright future for the club," he added. "In the past, the youngsters had no aspiration to play for Fort William because they were getting beaten all the time.

"We want in future for them to be proud to play for their home side. It just feels that there is the start of something here."

David Macdonald agrees: "The American thing seems to have been put on the back burner which hasn't disappointed a lot of people.

"The new committee is drumming up support and crowds are up. It's all good off the park now and, once that first win comes, we will be flying."