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Wednesday, 17th March 2010

Field of Memories - 17 March 2006

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Published Date: 22 March 2006
HARRIS FC stalwart Angus 'Nigger' Morrison's imprint is indelibly etched on the history of the proud club for being the first man to lift the Eilean an Fhraoich Cup.
Eleven years after his club debut the skilful sweeper proudly lifted the Western Isles' oldest trophy aloft as Harris captain and ended their long awaited quest.
He said: "That was one of the most proud moments of my football career and a great night. We had been in the final a few times and finally won it for the first time in 1993 with me as captain. I was very proud to become the first Harris captain to lift that cup.
"I remember it was Back in the final and at the end of the game it was 2 - 2. We went into extra-time. My younger brother 'Brownie' came on and changed the game in our favour and we ended up winning 4 - 2 or 6 - 2."
Angus 'Nigger' Morrison was a supremly talented footballer who was blessed with great skill, reading of the game but could also become a no-nonsense centre-half with boots of steel when the need arose.
His football career began in the junior leagues and his obvious talent soon had him collecting honours and silverware.
"I started off playing indoor football in the Lewis and Harris under-16 league and had a very successful time there. We managed to win the league, the cup competitions and also a Northern Constabulary tournament held in Inverness.
"We beat an Inverness side, who boasted a very young Charlie Christie in the team, 4 - 0 in the final," revealed Nigger.
Christie is now Inverness Caley Thistle manager after a long career with the Highland club.
Around the same time, Nigger also represented the Western Isles in an under 21 youth club competition in Edinburgh playing at the Meadowbank stadium where all the representatives were from Harris. He was also a regular in the hangar indoor league playing for Thistle in a busy period for the football made youngster.
It wasn't long before he made the step up to the senior set-up with Harris and he made his top-team debut in 1982 as a sub in a game against Southend in a friendly at Seilebost.
Nigger revealed: "1983 was my first full season with Harris and I remember it fondly as we won the league on the last day of the season. It was a nail biting end to the season and we had to beat Lochs in Tarbert and also rely on Ness failing to win their final match.
"It was a really great feeling to win the league in my first full season and our side had five or six players aged 18 or under alongside more experienced players like Buchan Fraser, Nula Morrison, Finlay Macsween and Willie Smith.
"I remember playing the winners of the Uist and Barra league shortly afterwards in a two-legged affair but we were beaten by North End both times and by the same 2 - 1 scoreline.
"Back then it was usual that the winners of the two leagues would play each other and North End had a very good side. Calum Dolly in goals, Shonnie Beag, Ucca Macintyre, Peter Craig and a good finisher in front of goal in Steven Campbell."
In a decade and a half with his beloved Harris Angus has a cabinet full of medals and a head full of happy memories and funny stories.
"One of my most memorable stories with Harris in the early days was when we had an away cup game against Back. Buchan was driving the bus but on our way to the game we were hearing a rattling coming from the back of the minibus. We stopped at the top of the Clisham.
"Nula got out to have a look at what the noise was and he came back in and reported it was just a loose exhaust. On we went and as we reached Aridhabruach we saw the back wheel come off and roll past the bus.
"We were left stranded then thinking we wouldn't make the game but somebody stopped and took us to the game. If my memory serves me right it was Nero's father who stopped on his return from Harris. Nero was playing for Back that night and we knocked them out of the cup, but if hadn't been for the lift we may never have made it."
Beneath Angus' silky skills lay a steel base and he was more than equipped to mix it when he had to, but a six week ban ranks highly as one of his worst memories in island football.
Nigger brought the curtain down on his football career with a season in the claret of Lochs and he remembers that final year fondly.
He continued: "They were a great bunch of lads to be involved with but I was forced to give up football at the end of that season due to knee problems. I then underwent keyhole surgery to cut a bit of the cartilage away.
"I missed not playing the game but still go to watch the football nowadays. There are lots of very good players around at present like Paul Murray but I especially like the Lochs team. They have a lot of excellent players in 'Nomie', David Macmillan, Ally Mackenzie, Andy Murray, David Martin and Don 'Lava'. Aths, Back and Point also have a handful of good youngsters."
Being such a keen football fan the state of facilities in his beloved Harris is one of obvious concern and disappointment to him and one which he feels affects the youngsters of the entire area.
So we move onto picking a dream team of players who Nigger counted as team mates but with room only for eleven there are a number who will have to miss out.

He added: "I am going to stick to the players that I played alongside as there are simply too many good players to pick from especially from the Ness team of the 80s.
"I will have to leave out the likes of DJ Smith, Iain 'Todd, Neil Macrury, Dano, Nero, Percy, Magnus and Murdo Johnson, Robbie Mackenzie, Angie Macmillan, Tuff, Robert Mackenzie and Mac Maclean.
"I can only pick one team and also have to leave out the likes of Sweeney, Lally, Angie Spike, Nellie Spike and Peter Macdonald."

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  • Last Updated: 15 March 2006 11:30 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Stornoway
 
 
 


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