The History of Lochs FC

Duncan N Macleod

Season 1934

Lochs Football Club was founded in 1934 when a group of enthusiasts in the village of Leurbost established a team. The team, initially called Leurbost, was under the guidance of three young men from the village who had been introduced to football in colleges and universities in Glasgow and Aberdeen. They were Murdo “Mago” Macleod of 40 Leurbost, Allan Macdonald of 41 Leurbost and William Kennedy of 38 Leurbost. In that initial season they played four friendly matches. They won 2-0 against Carloway in a game played at Garenin, lost 2-0 to the same side at the Creagan Dubh in Leurbost, lost 3-0 to Uig in Ardroil and beat Lower Bayble 6-2 at Melbost.

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These friendly matches were a preamble to the club’s first competitive game. This was in the Eilean an Fhraoich Cup of 1934 and it took place on 9^th September against Point at Melbost. This match finished Point 0 – 1 Lochs. Unfortunately the Eilean an Fhraoich was then, as it is now, played over two legs and the Rudhachs won the second leg 7-0 ending the Lochies interest in the competition.

Of great interest is the diary of the then Treasurer/Secretary Neil Maclean (Niall Iain Sheorais or “Beardy” as he was known) of 33 Leurbost. This has survived until today and gives detailed records of club expenses. It reveals that a set of football strips cost £7-5s-9d (£7.30), three leather balls cost £1-17s-6d (£1.87) and that 7s-9d (40p) was spent on “refreshments”. Not much for a pint or two after the games!!

The main sources of income in 1934 were a concert that was held in Leurbost School on April 13^th 1934 which raised £22.0s.5d, gate money from home games, donations and the money brought in through a membership fee to join the club committee which amounted to 2/- (10p) per person.

So a football Club was born in the far off pre Second World War days of the 1930’s, a club that still flourishes and keeps the name of Lochs alive in the world of amateur football

Season 1935

Using Neil Maclean’s detailed diary we find that the 1935 season was a near copy of 1934. Friendly matches were played against Balallan, Lower Bayble and Harris in which the team was called Leurbost. However it is interesting to note that in a further two friendly games against Rovers and Back Neil notes the team as being Lochs. This could well have been due to the inclusion in the squad of two Kinloch players, Alasdair “Sambo” Kennedy from Airidhbhruach and David Smith from Balallan. Once more the only competition entered was the Eilean an Fhraoich Cup. The opposition was again Point and the result was again defeat at the hands of the Rudhachs. Both matches were lost 5-0 and 2-1. The first game was played at the Creagan Dubh and so I feel confident that this was the first competitive home match played there by Lochs. Neil Maclean’s eye for detail, exhibited in his diary, continues to reveal the expenses involved in running a football club in the 1930’s. He notes that the trip to Harris, which I assume would have been by bus, cost £2 while the trip to Gress to play Back cost £1-2s-6d (£1.13). As the present Treasurer sums like that leave me reeling!! Finally for the season he notes that pitch expenses cost the club 8s 3d (45p). Lochs are in the process of upgrading the same pitch to the tune of £217,000. Times have changed.

Season 1936

By 1936 a problem was beginning to rear its head for the club. The state of the Creagan Dubh Park was giving cause for concern. The ground was uneven and new goalposts were needed. Work was undertaken to improve the surface of the pitchand new goalposts were purchased for the sum of 6/- (30p). The team also bought football socks in 1936 costing 7s – 6d (38p).

Despite the condition of the pitch several friendly matches were played on it. The side had wins over Carloway (5-0), Stornoway School (2-1), and Harris (2-0). They were defeated by Back (0-5) and Balallan (1-2). They also played three away friendlies at Bragar where they lost 2-1, at Melbost where they beat Point 1-0 and at Goathill where they defeated Stornoway School 2-1.

1936 also saw the first “epic struggle” in Lochs’ long footballing history. This was that season’s Eilean an Fhraoich Cup tie with Ness. The first leg at the Creagan Dubh ended 2-2 and the return at Ness also ended in the same score line with outside left Neil Maclean netting the two Lochs goal. With an aggregate score of 4-4 a deciding match was played on Saturday 25^th July 1936 at Goathill Park, Stornoway. Ness won 3-1 and went on to win the trophy that season, an honour Lochs would have to wait another 23 years before achieving.

Season 1937

In 1937 Lochs joined the extended Stornoway Football Association (SFA) League which for the first time included rural Lewis teams. The final League Table for that season shows Lochs in a respectable 5^th place.

                        P W L D F A Pts

Rovers             14 10 3 1 37 20 21

Point                14 9 4 1 36 19 19

West Side        14 6 3 3 26 21 19

School             14 7 5 2 32 27 16

Lochs                   14 5 8 1 24 32 11

Back                14 5 8 1 23 31 11

Athletic             14 4 9 1 20 37 9

Ness                 14 3 11 0 14 25 6

In Cup football Lochs played in four competitions. In the Roma Cup they defeated West Side in the quarter final, Point in a semi final which went to a third replay before Lochs came out on top 1-0 and Rovers 3-2 in the final. This gave the club their first trophy in their third year of existence.

Unfortunately the side had to withdraw from the Doyly Carte Cup at the first round stage but did play in the Tormod Mor Tankard. Point and Back were defeated at the Creagan Dubh to set up a final against Rovers. Lochs held a 3-2 lead as the game went into the last minutes. The referee, Mr. Baker, then controversially awarded a penalty for handball against a Lochs defender, Rovers converted and the match ended in a draw. Amid controversy Lochs complained to the SFA about the refereeing decision, it was decided to replay the final with the same referee in charge, Lochs refused to play and the cup was awarded to Rovers after the season ended.

Lochs reached a third final that season losing to Point in the Eilean an Fhraoich Cup final, played over two legs, 6-0 on aggregate.

The Creagan Dubh was again a thorn in the club’s side as it was declared unplayable by the SFA. Three local men, probably Murdo Nicolson (Murdie Choinnich), Alasdair Smith (Alasdair Mor) and Angus Macdonald (Brunaidh) were employed to improve the surface. They were each paid £2-6s-8d (£2.35) for 56 hours of work at a rate of 10d (8p) an hour.

Three Lochs players featured in Lewis Select sides that year. Hector Martin 37 Leurbost (Eachainn Floraidh), DR Martin 15 Leurbost (Domhnall Roddy Crustaidh) and Donald Nicolson 11 New Holdings, Leurbost (Danny Sheonaidh Murdo).

Season 1946

The years 1939 – 1945 were dominated by the Second World War and so it was 1946 before hostilities recommenced on the football field. The driving force behind the team in the post war period was Angus Macleod of Ranish who was to remain in charge of the team into the lat 1970’s.

Eight teams entered the League that season including Lochs. The powerhouses of this period were Back and Point. Back won the title and Lochs finished in 5^th place with 12 points.

The only cup competition that season was the Doyly Carte Cup and Lochs had to face champions Back. They beat them 3-1 at home but lost the second leg 4-0, going out 5-3 on aggregate.