Dingwall Academy Under 18 Reunion

Dingwall Academy Under 18 Boys Football team won the Scottish Schools F.A. U18 Shield exactly 30 years ago by beating Cardinal Newman High School from Lanarkshire 1-0 in a memorable final at Hampden Park Glasgow on Thursday 26th May 1994. The Dingwall Academy Under-18 team is the only team, out with the central belt (excluding Aberdeen) to have won this coveted football trophy, before, or since then.

The 30 year anniversary of this magnificent achievement will be celebrated during the Ross County v Dundee, SPFL Premiership match and is being organised by former Dingwall Academy Principal Teacher of P.E. Jack Sutherland (who was also the team coach and manager), along with former History teacher at Dingwall Academy, Don Esson, who coached under 13’s–15’s age groups in the Academy at the time. The reunion will take place in the Hamilton Suite and will be attended by the great majority of the squad, together with some invited guests.

It is planned that the squad will make an appearance at the Global Energy Stadium at half-time on Saturday against Dundee just as they did when parading the trophy to a very receptive crowd there, in 1994.

Dingwall Academy Under18 Football Team 1993-1994 – Winners of Ross-shire League, North of Scotland League, North of Scotland Cup, Scottish Schools Cup (Shield)

Back Row (Left to right) Graham Cowie; Willie Watt; Alan Houston; John Tuach; Craig Walker, Russell McGill

Middle Row (left to right) Don Cowie Snr (Assistant Manager); Steven Illingworth; Alan Boyd, Michael Rae; Andrew Tamata; Graham Mackenzie; Jack Sutherland, (Coach and Manager)

Front Row (Left to right) Bruce Maclean; Neal Sinclair; Greig Mackenzie (captain); James Hayton; Paul Cowie