Highland League additions helping to make North Caledonian League as healthy as it has been in years, says NCL president Iain Whitehead
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North Caledonian League president Iain Whitehead reckons the competition is as strong as it has been for a long time.
In recent years, Bonar Bridge and Alness United returned to the competition, where they have since been joined by Nairn County’s reserves and Loch Ness.
North Caley’s number is set to grow again for the 2022/23 campaign, with Clachnacuddin set to enter their own reserves side and Fort William looking likely to drop down as the first side to be relegated from the Highland League.
Those additions will take the team total up to 13, more than double the six-teams participating in the division back in the mid-2010s.
“It’s back to having healthy numbers in it, back to what it used to be,” Whitehead explained.
“It used to be even bigger than that, but 13 teams would be a good number for the league, it’s a healthy number.
“I’m happy these Highland League teams are involved, because that’s what the league used to be.
“Back then it was Ross County, Caledonian, Clach and Thistle, those teams that were in it.
“Fort William used to be in it a long time ago too, that’s where they came out of originally, so the league is back to what it used to be.”
There is still some doubt as to Fort William’s status for next season, with the Claggan Park outfit releasing a statement last weekend indicating they still hoped to come to a resolution with the Highland League.
North Caley’s position has not changed, though, with the intention still being to invite Fort to a meeting later this month to establish what their intentions are ahead of next season.
“Personally I can only envisage them bring in the North Caley next year, but until we speak to them we’re not going to know,” Whitehead added.
“We haven’t got any more clarity yet. We’ll be inviting them along to the next meeting, and then we’ll know how many teams we’ve got.
“At the moment it’s looking like Clach and Fort William coming in, so that will make it 13 teams.
“We haven’t heard of anything else. There’s the possibility of Bunillidh Thistle being back, but I haven’t heard anything official yet.
“I think they would probably struggle to get up and running – that’s just my personal opinion, I haven’t spoken to anyone yet.
“The market is saturated up there, so unless they’ve got someone that’s keen to take it on I would doubt they’ll be back next season.”
