Inverurie Loco Works F.C. Explained

Nickname:The Locos, The Railwaymen
Ground:Harlaw Park, Inverurie
Capacity:2,500 (175 seated)
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Clubname:Inverurie Loco Works
Fullname:Inverurie Loco Works Football Club
Founded:1902
Chairman:Mike Macaulay
Mgrtitle:Manager
Manager:Dean Donaldson

Inverurie Loco Works Football Club are a senior semi-professional football club from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, who currently play in the Scottish Highland Football League (SHFL).

History

The club was founded in 1902 by workmen from the Great North of Scotland Railway (GNSR) who had their Locomotive, and Carriage and Wagon Workshops in Inverurie, from where the football club got its name. On National Railway Company 'Grouping' in 1923, the GNSR became part of the London & North Eastern Railway, one of the UK's big four railway companies at that time, and the football club lived on.

In the 1945-46 Aberdeenshire & District Junior League, Inverurie Locos scored 146 goals in 22 games, averaging 6.64 goals per game. They won the league that season, remaining unbeaten throughout the entire league campaign.

The Locomotive Workshops themselves were formally closed in 1970 on the forming of British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Railways Board at that time. Despite the closure, Inverurie Loco Works F.C. continued to play in the Aberdeenshire and North East Junior Leagues for many years.

Rising up from successful years in junior football, in 2001 the Locos applied for membership of the Highland League and were successful. In the 2003–04 season, the Locos came second in the league, two further consecutive 2nd-place finishes followed in the seasons to come. In 2005, they first got their hands on silverware by winning the Scottish Qualifying Cup, then repeated the feat the next year. They also won the Aberdeenshire Shield after being runners up three times before winning the trophy. Then they won the Fosters Cup (League Cup) twice in two years, in 2007–08 and 2008–09. They also won the SFA North Region Challenge Cup in 2008–09.

In the 2008–09 Scottish Cup, the club were paired with Scottish Premier League side Motherwell at home. They reached the fourth round of the competition that season. After four postponements, the match was finally played at the fifth time of asking. Despite a capacity crowd watching, the Highland League outfit could not prevent a 3–0 loss to their top-flight opponents.

Harlaw Park

[1] Inverurie Loco Works have played at Harlaw Park for their entire history. Originally, it was an open field, but now it is a fully-enclosed football ground with a seated grandstand and a standing shelter.

It currently has an approximate overall capacity of 2,500; 175 seated, and the rest standing.

In March 1931, a pavilion and a grandstand was opened and in 1950 the installation of new dressing rooms was completed. Harlaw Park got new turnstiles in 1962.

In 1981, the Banchory Golf Club clubhouse was re-located to Harlaw Park as the Social Club.

Floodlights which were surplus to requirements at Aberdeen Airport were installed, and new dugouts were created in August 1983. New changing rooms were built in 1992.

In preparation for Inverurie Locos first Highland League season (2001/02) £75,000 was spent on upgrading Harlaw Park and a new enclosure was opened for the 2002/03 season.

The 2012/13 season saw the current grandstand erected, replacing the old one.

Harlaw Park hosted 3 matches in the 2014 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship qualification in August 2013.

Staff

First team coaching staff

[2]

Position Name
Head Coach Dean Donaldson
Coach Jamie Lennox
Coach Greg Moir
Coach Kenny Clubb
Goalkeeping Coach John Farquhar
Strength and Conditioning Coach James Collins

Committee

[3]

Position Name
Chairman Mike Macaulay
Vice-chairman Graeme Hay
Treasurer Jim Porter
Secretary Billy Thomson
Hospitality Iain Alexander
SHFL Representative Gordon Booth
Football Operations Scott Buchan
Support Liaison/Facilities Rhys Collie
Child Protection Mark Cooper
Events Paula Corsar
Commercial Barry Gibb
First Aid Stuart Gordon
Youth Academy Gary Jamieson
Events Gill Macaulay
Locos Ladies/Hospitality Kirsteen MacGillivray
Systems/Health & Safety Derek Smart
Youth Compliance/Matchday Announcer Daniel Wilson
Facilities/Club Licence Fred Wilson

Honours

Senior

[4] 2007–08, 2008–09

2023–24

[5] 2003–04, 2013–14, 2016–17

[6] 2004–05, 2005–06

[6] 2008–09

Junior

1992–93, 1995–96, 1997–98

Ladies

Inverurie Loco Works Ladies play in the Scottish Women's Football Championship.

On 8 July 2022, Inverurie Loco Works announced the formation of a Ladies team.[10] They started playing in the 2023 season, finishing in second place in the SWFL North. They won the league in the 2023–24 season, without dropping a single point.

Honours

Youth academy

Inverurie Loco Works' Youth Academy consists of a Men's Under 18s team, and a Men's Under 21s team.[11]

Under 18s

Inverurie Locos' Men's Under 18s play in the SHFL U18 East. They also enter the Scottish Youth Cup.

They won the league back-to-back in the 2022–23 season and the 2023–24 season. On both occasions, their league victory earned them a spot in that season's SHFL U18 Championship Play-Off. They won the Championship both times.

Honours

Under 21s

Inverurie Locos' Men's U21s play in the Aberdeenshire League. They won the league in 2018–19 season, and the 2019–20 season.

Honours

2018–19, 2019–20

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Inverurie Loco Works FC History . Inverurie Locos . Inverurie Loco Works FC . 2023-08-13.
  2. Web site: Staff. Inverurie Locos. 16 August 2024 .
  3. Web site: The Committee. Inverurie Locos. 13 August 2023 .
  4. http://sfha.org.uk/highlandleaguecup.htm
  5. http://sfha.org.uk/aberdeenshireshield.htm
  6. http://sfha.org.uk/scottishcups.htm
  7. http://sfha.org.uk/aberdeenjrleague.htm
  8. http://sfha.org.uk/northregionjrs.htm
  9. http://sfha.org.uk/northeastjrcups.htm
  10. https://www.facebook.com/inverurielocoworks/videos/-announcement-introducing-to-you-inverurie-loco-works-fc-ladies-more-to-come-on-/546947043834182/
  11. https://inverurielocos.com/under-21-under-18/