Written for a magazine but never used
Back in summer 2021 as coronavirus was coming to an end, football viewing was still somewhat taboo. With limited attendances at grounds, games still coming a cropper across the country due to outbreaks and pro teams’ players not adhering to rules set still being the norm, my football mad loon and I were looking for a well needed shot of ordinary football. Far too much time had elapsed since a we had set eyes on a game in normality and was vastly sought after. By “ordinary” and “normality” this meaning simply having the ability to rock up to a ground watch ninety minutes with no hand sanitizer, temperature checks, spatial awareness and put bluntly, no hassle. But how was this possible? Was it even achievable? For the past year and a half or so, we had resorted to watching games from bushes and travelling to England dipping into the Northern League before being kyboshed after being one of the last leagues standing in the UK. Not having football nearby was getting old as much as we loved our adventures and three thousand miles worth of travel to England. Eventually I came across the answer to our conundrum, what is known as the “Summer League” had restarted in our North-eastern corner giving us a more than welcome option. Unbeknown at the time our eyes were to be opened to a whole refreshing world of football. A world in a certain association within our own wonderful country.
Way back in 1918 after the Great War, morale was in a rut across the country’s workers and with obvious good reason. To try and counteract this, a new football association was founded. To be precise, the Scottish Welfare Football Association came into being and once boasted over 500 clubs across the country. Membership is now significantly down, with a big chunk being removed when last season the Montrose and District league morphed into Sunday Amateurs taking the numbers down even further. But good things come in small packages. With a motto of “Affordable Football for All” and an objective of “benefitting present and future members of the community served through the association by promoting, encouraging and furthering the game of welfare as a recreational facility, a sporting activity and a focus for community involvement” the organisation is somewhat a hidden gem which throws up some of the most picturesque grounds and great clubs in the land. These mainly found in places you would never visit otherwise such as, Deanston, Strichen, Drumoak and such like. The SWFA is made up of eight regions across the country with 5 in the north and three further south beyond Perth most of which are played out over Summer.
Geographically speaking the North East Scotland Football Association is practically on the doorstep for us with Methlick Football Club only six miles from the house. With that it is maybe a tad obvious that it was in this league we found ourselves instantly becoming fans of the Welfare. Prior to this my knowledge of the Welfare was as little as I had paraded my clogger skills against some of the local clubs round about Aberdeenshire in friendlies when kicking about in the local Amateur leagues. I had never taken on the Welfare in any sort of spectating capacity, and it had not crossed my mind at any point due to what I would put down to a bit of football snobbery. Not a huge amount of snootiness I might add, compared to many others I know but a wee bit none the less. This being something I am not proud of. However, that has since been completely knocked out of me. I had never set eyes on anything below Junior level as a neutral prior to us dipping our toes into Welfare where sixteen games have now been racked up in three “pre-seasons”. The fact it is only three seasons to date to an extent frustrates me, knowing what I know now.
Our football viewing life changed when a 22-mile trip towards Fraserburgh took us to a nine-goal glut in New Pitsligo. In the rural ‘shire there were no rules and Jake’s and my own football thirsts for a live game were quenched and then some. All pre-mentioned football snobbery was knocked out of me early on that night as we sat watching the hosts beat New Deer 6 v 3 as we tucked into a chipper from the local fryer. New Deer despite being out played for the whole game were the proverbial turd that wouldn’t flush and kept nicking a goal back after the Cyack scored, this until they were killed off with two late goals from the hosts. An ace start to post pandemic football that’s for sure. So much so that within four days we were back on the trail of a Welfare hit. This time at ex Junior ground Tenant Park home of Cuminestown United where we saw an incredible 5 v 5 draw with Macduff. This inclusive of a perfectly legitimate goal being chopped off in the death throes of the ninety, denying Macduff who at one point were down 5 v 2 an unlikely victory. Incredibly there was another 5 v 5 draw that night in the league between Longside Thistle and St Combs. Since that Friday evening in New Pitsligo we have watched matches across five of the associations covering approximately 1400 miles.
What is there in the Welfare to like? Why have we taken such a shine? There are countless attractions in my eyes, though I can only speak from my own personal experiences with the Wee Man to date, but I reckon I am experienced enough to know enough to heap admiration on it. First thing’s first, despite being Aberdonian I don’t class myself being a tight arse, but let’s begin with the fact it is free to watch. Anything gratis is always a bonus. This plus, overall, it is played in fine weather. You won’t be heading home to hug your radiator after a Welfare game. Not that I am an advocator of the introduction of summer football in any shape or form. But in all honesty, it’s a welcome change to having to the usual downpours and low digit temperatures during the “normal season”. But as you bask off the pitch, the goings on within the boundaries of the park are always entertaining. You will not be jumping in your car after and heading home after witnessing a nil-nil. In our sixteen games to date we have seen the net bulge an absurd eighty-nine times, this giving us approximately five and half goals a game. Unfortunately for New Deer and Elizabethan Link-Up unfortunately they were on end of almost one fifth of these over three matches. Free football in fine weather with goals galore. Do you need much more?
Let me assure you, there are plenty supplementary joys to the Welfare. In amongst it, you are given breath taking views of the Scottish countryside when travelling to these rural towns especially when on stunning Speyside or on either side of the Endrick Water. But many of these grounds are aesthetically wonderful too. Take Methlick for example, their King George V Park situated on the banks of the river Ythan complete with ruined kirk and hills with spectating cows adjacent. A cracking surface too I must add. Then you have Cromdale Park, home of the eponymous Cromdale FC looking out towards the Spey with striking views of Scottish wilderness with an uncountable number of green shades in the deep wilds as far as the eye can see. A splendid sight when the sky is bright blue, as the sun flares over Speyside like when we made the 120-mile round trip one Friday night. Canal Park, home of Macduff gives you views of the proximate hills with the Temple of Venus sitting atop staring back at you. You also have the North Sea crashing in a stone throw away with Macduff and its Parish Church minus a clock but complete with grizzly history in behind the waves. A view akin to Highland League Deveronvale’s Princess Royal Park for obvious reasons. Further down the country Kippen gives great woodland views from its almost secretive quaint spot in the south end of town. Then Fochabers throws up a scene furnished with a backdrop of the town and its centuries old structures with a saltire gently ruffling in the breeze overhead. But a certain place has blown us away visually more than anyplace. Ballater FC, where you sit in the site of the acclaimed old Highland Games at Monaltrie Park. The panorama on offer there is a spectacle to behold and just screams Scotland to me. The sharp surrounding green and purple clad hills which seem to envelop the place with the occasional seemingly grand sized buildings poking out of the dense forestry. It seriously gives one of the best environments I have watched football in over two hundred grounds in Scotland and it doesn’t end there. Coupled with the visual beauty you have the thrown in quirk that you are literally sitting where a glacier has made its mark and ploughed through the area leaving some clear evidence of a glacial trough as far as you can see. Glorious. Another class scenery and quirk combination ground found in the Welfare is located meters from the river Spey in Charlestown of Aberlour where you find Villa Park of Aberlour Villa. A glorious place dug down into woodland on the edge of town with the river and the Speyside Way at one wing. Then a distillery on the other wing, a side line which has a superb vantage point to watch proceedings unfold and a graveyard behind one of the goals. It is a truly astounding setting, and I would go as far as saying it is my favourite visited ground anywhere in our country. But its best feature is the battered looking clubhouse on the riverside wing. Old, tatty and most likely not fit purpose but delightful all the same. It should be put in the Hampden Museum when it is retired (hopefully never). Other ground related points of interest are you can watch games at ex-Junior grounds with the pre-mentioned Cuminestown, Cromdale and Macduff. Or you can watch in the shadow of current junior grounds at Longside Thistle (Longside JFC) and Glenugie United (Buchanhaven Hearts) with the former being around five yards from the brilliant Davidson Park pitch. and the latter also having the claim to fame of being the most easterly non pyramid ground in the country.(second overall in Scottish fitba behind neighbours Buchanhaven) But one of my admirable things we have come across is the amount of square post on the go. Brings out the inner fitba geek in me. Marvellous stuff.
Idiosyncrasies come in many forms and the fact that within two of the set ups you have military teams is certainly one. RAF Lossiemouth play out of the Moray and District League and Kinloss Sappers (the team of the 39th Engineer Regiment) ply their trade in the Forres and Nairn District League. The latter pitch being sandwiched between an army barracks and an aero museum (Morayvia) where you can see old fighter planes and choppers from throughout the ages poking their noses over the fence looking on. Keeping on the theme of planes, Invercairn United play right next to an abandoned World War Two airfield, RAF Fraserburgh, but also not far away is the shipwreck of the Sovereign BF380, made famous by featuring on the posters and billboards for the promotion of quadruple Oscar winning movie “The Life of Pi”. Most of you reading will have seen this on a bus stop back in 2012 for sure.
There are numerous other appealing elements the SWFA. How about speaking to an ex-Grade 1 referee and a man who travelled Europe with his whistle on almost 100 occasions, Brian McGinley. He will be milling about if you take on a game at Balfron Rovers. But people are welcoming no matter what area of the country you find yourself in. Whether it is chatting to managers at numerous clubs or the lady selling the half time draw at Kippen. Then there was blethering to the Forth and Endrick League secretary, Cullen’s left back having a news after he was subbed, players dads welcoming us with plenty other random local punters taking us on throughout. Also, by incredible coincidence the fact I ended up working with a Mormond Thistle player meaning the yakking about the Welfare existed in the North Sea halfway between Denmark and the UK at one point. It seems when people are into the Welfare they are in a considerable way. This also shines through in some of the crowds witnessed. Over one hundred at Glenugie United in Peterhead for a game v Haven with Kippen and Ballater not far behind and Balfron Rovers, Invercairn United and Mormond Thistle all over 50. Good numbers for this level. Communities get behind their Welfare clubs and its very visible on the side-lines unless at Ardallie who’s brilliant Halfway House pitch is situated in the middle of nowhere. Unwalkable from anywhere barring a couple of neighbouring houses. This evidently triggering more subs than spectators. But let me tell you it worth heading up the A952 and dropping in for a peek at one of the best grounds in the NESFA, folk or no folk. The pride of the local clubs has also been apparent also in some of the eateries and boozers we have found ourselves in where fitba speak has been struck up with the natives who always have a keen eye for their local club. This takes me on to the next exceedingly pleasing part of Welfare proceedings. We have eaten bloody well. Chippers and bar suppers and they have all been outstanding whether greasy fingers on the touchline or the hostelries of the towns. The Cross Keys in Kippen and the Balmoral Arms in Ballater making my mouth water just recollecting the fare served up in both.
Strangely I have hardly mentioned the action on the pitch so far and I think that is testament to the overall experience of watching the game at this level. Yes, the sunny goal fests are talked of but in terms of quality, there are some good teams on the go. Buchlyvie United were a solid outfit and its clear why they are in the upper echelons of the Forth and Endrick set up. Well organised without a doubt. Cuminestown and Macduff were both very good on the front foot creating that outrageous game way back at the dawn of our Welfare quest. Questions may be asked about the defending, however. Charleston Rovers looked to have a mantra of all-out attack and why not with as good a forward line as them but the most enjoyable team we have seen are Haven from St Fergus, our most viewed side and I think it has been subconsciously deliberate too. Good across the board with players who could easily be playing a few more branches up the non-league tree. But this is not limited to Haven. There are many players across the SWFA who could clearly play higher and have with ex Junior and Highland League players being spotted at various clubs. There are many reasons they kick about in this splendid association, be it kids, working offshore, a want to play with their mates, not fancying giving up their weekends or whatever, they are here, and Amateur and Juniors loss is Welfare’s gain. It adds to what is a truly superlative generating part of Scottish fitba. I don’t even think I have done it justice here. So how about trying it out for yourself if you haven’t done so already. If one person off the back of these words heads to their first Welfare game on my recommendation it is mission accomplished from me. If a Stirling Albion fan finds a fix down the Road at Gargunnock when Forthbank’s gates are locked up for the summer or a Fraserburgh fan is struggling for a football injection without the Highland League and decides on a Faithlie United game, then the jobs a good one.
In my own opinion there is much more enjoyment to be had in the Welfare than seeing the usual suspects winning the trophies in the pro-game with the richest buying their way to becoming richer come April and May when the Welfare kicks off. There is something much more rewarding watching a valve technician kicking a ball anbout in Strichen or a joiner from Buckie knocking their pan in for ninety minutes. However, nothing in life is perfect and the Welfare is no different. Why? Bloody midges. It seems no matter where you are you get sucked dry by the aggravating buggers. In certain places you could probably charge them with GBH the attacks are that brutal. Not looking anywhere in particular, Balfron Rovers.
FITBAWBAG 