Big names to honour Caley Thistle legend at Charity Cup match
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ONE of north football’s greatest heroes of the past will be honoured on Saturday by fellow legends at a new charity cup match at Grant Street Park.
The Alan Hercher Memorial Cup will feature an array of past greats from Clach, Ross County and Caley Thistle.
Hercher, a phenomenal performer in the Highland and Scottish leagues, passed away tragically last August.
The Beauly man’s death at just 52 drew a huge outpouring of grief from within and far beyond the football community for a much-admired and much-loved individual who wrote his name in the Caley Thistle record-books.
Hercher netted Caley Thistle’s first Scottish Football League goal in a 5-2 triumph against Arbroath in August 1994 as part of a 21-minute hat-trick – still the fastest in Caley Thistle’s history.
Peter Corbett was the manager who first signed him for Caledonian.
He felt the time was right for the local football community to honour his past team-mate and raise cash for Highland Hospice in his memory.
“We felt it was only right football should do something in his memory,” Corbett said.
“John Bain, Alan’s great friend, and I came up with the idea of an Alan Hercher Memorial Cup using local football legends.
“Along with Alan’s family and friends, it should be a good day. There are a lot of legends in local football and, arguably, Herchie was one of the biggest.
“Going into the Scottish leagues, he just carried on doing what he’d been famous for in the Highland League – scoring goals and winning games.
“I signed him for Caley from Ross County when County went amateur in the early to mid-80s and he was a lovely boy then.”
Players taking part include Charlie Christie, Billy Skinner, Iain Polworth, Colin Sinclair and Neil MacCuish.
Kick-off is 3pm.
