Clachnacuddin (Scotland)

Clachnacuddin FC is a semi-professional football club from the Merkinch area of the Highland city of Inverness in the north of Scotland, who were formed in 1885 by Donald Stewart. The club name is derived from Gaelic, meaning the Stone of the Tubs, with nobody entirely sure why it was chosen.

‘The Lillywhites’ have proven to be one of the foremost clubs in the Highland League, which they became founder members of in 1893. Clach had been crowned as champions three times before the turn of the century, with their successes coming in 1894-95, 1896-97, and 1897-88. 

That success continued as an incredible six titles were collected in the first decade of the new century, along with a plethora of Inverness Cup victories. Seven more league wins arrived at Grant Street Park before World War II, followed by a fine Scottish Cup run which attracted a home gate of 8,850 against St Johnstone in January 1948.

This came the season after Clach fielded the legendary 'Clean Sweep Side', which won every competition that it entered. A record crowd of 9,000 attended a game at Grant Street. However, many barren seasons were to ensue. It would be 1974-75 before the seventeenth Highland League title was won. The cup competitions were kinder to the club.

The club was in financial trouble with the high possibility of going out of business in 1990. Indeed, with minutes to spare, it was saved from liquidation with its mounting debts by the committee and a group of local businessmen, who arrived to save the day.

Following the merger of Inverness rivals Caledonian and Thistle and the promotion of near neighbours Ross County in 1994, Clach looked to impose itself in the league. However, that was easier said than done with the form of the newly elected Scottish League clubs increasing interest and their fan base.

2000-01 saw the Lilywhites finish a vastly improved fourth, repeated twelve months later. The  
The 2003-04 season was the one in which the club won its eightieth Highland League title, under manager Robbie Williamson, crowning a fine season by also lifting the League Cup and finishing runners-up in the SFA Challenge Cup (North).

Lots of mid-table finishes were to follow, before a fifth-place finish was achieved in 2012-13, before the side returned to its previous form. Brian MacLeod managed the side before he was replaced by former skipper Sandy McLeod in August 2019. Jordan Macdonald succeeded him in April 2023.

Conor Gethins was appointed as manager in October 2023, with his side ending second from bottom of the table a few months later, before a vastly improved sixth place was delivered in 2024-25.

Clachnacuddin FC will play in the Highland League in the 2025-26 season.

My visit

Wednesday 21st January 2015

Finding myself with a couple of hours to kill before my train south to the evening match between Dundee and Kilmarnock, I decided to have a walk and seek out Grant Street to take some photos.

I needed some fresh air after trying out several local pubs the night before, following the Inverness Caledonian Thistle v St Johnstone match. My guest house was pretty basic, so I figured that a walk followed by food would set me up for the day rather than just hanging around.

Despite decent planning, I was soon to realise that Inverness was a bigger city than I anticipated when looking at a map. This was not helped as I took a wrong turning and headed up Telford Street. In fact, I got to the retail park where Caledonian once played before the alarm bells started ringing.

It was an icy morning, and some of the pavements were tricky as I cut through a housing estate and past Merkinch Primary School. I had definitely added the best part of a mile onto my journey, and time was getting on. I was starting to get concerned about whether I’d have time to complete my task.

The floodlights of Grant Street Park peered tantalisingly through the housing, but I had to go right round Kilmuir Street to the main entrance. The gates were locked, but I got a view through a fence. Fortunately, a clear view was obtained over the low perimeter gate off Pumpgate Court.

Grant Street was open down the far side and behind the entrance goal, where the club facilities lay, bordered by the building of the Inverness Bible Fellowship. A seated stand straddled the halfway line near my view, with a decent-sized covered terrace behind the other goal.  

I scurried away and saw a young lady waiting at a nearby bus stop on Grant Street. She confirmed that a bus was due into the town centre. Sure enough, the service soon arrived and dropped me by the Post Office, just a hundred yards or so from the station.

After grabbing some snacks for the ride, I got on board a delightful train ride along the banks of the Moray Firth and through several towns I’d only heard of because of the football coupon.

I certainly enjoyed my first visit to the Highlands.