by Alex Bremner, Kathleen Macpherson & Grant Turner

Ground Closure
The club had their ground closed down in 1975 after a supporter attacked a referee following a game between Huntly and Rothes. During play, Referee George Macrae booked three home players for Dissent and a Rothes player for foul play. Following the final whistle as Rothes ran out 2-1 winners. Defender Ian Chalmers was called back by the referee. The player had already received a booking and was in the process of being sent off. Spectators making their way across the pitch to the exits by the far gate surrounded this incident and suddenly the referee was pitched forward on his face.

Mr Macrae’s report stated he’d been struck on the head and became unconscious. Huntly didn’t deny he’d been assaulted but maintained the official had been tripped from behind. The referee’s report made grim reading from the clubs point of view – made worse from the SFA perspective that Huntly hadn’t arranged for police to be in attendance for the game.
on the 18^th of December 1975, the Referee’s Committee orded Christie Park to be close for the first two months of 1976. the club were fined £100 and ordered to have officers on duty at all future home games. Ian Chalmers was suspended for six weeks.

This was the first time in history a Highland League club have had their ground closed down. Inverness clubs & Ross County had displayed warning notices about crowd trouble in the past, but an incident such as this had never gone to this extreme.

Shortly after this, chairman Bertie Bruce resigned from the club and quit football due to heart problems. Following a club meeting, Huntly seriously considered going into voluntary liquidation. A statement was released by secretary Jim Anderson shortly after stating that although the question of going defunct had been debated, it had been decided to carry on despite the grave financial difficulties posed by the SFA ban.
Both Elgin City & Keith offered the club free use of their grounds for ‘home’ games & despite and estimated cost of £1000 brought on by the closure, the club survived.

Takeover
A group of businessmen led by Chairman Forbes Shand took over at the helm which saw the club in a better financial position which would last until the 1990s

Next Page: Team of the 90s

• The Beginning
• League Admittance/First Silverware
• League Cup Wins
• Scottish Cup
• Ground Closure
• Team of the 90s
• 64 Championship Wait Ended
• Another Season - Another Treble
• 95/96: a new era
• 4 in a row
• 5 in a row/new boss/cup double
• Managerial Merry-Go-Round
• Seventh Championship

A full list of trophies won by the club ....more

If you wish to submit a piece of your own for this section e-mail neep@huntlyfc.co.uk