For George Thom it’s fitting his first game as Fraserburgh vice-chairman is against Celtic.
The first match he attended as a child was the Broch’s fixture against the Hoops in April 1970, which was played to raise money for the families of the five crewmen who died in the Duchess of Kent lifeboat disaster earlier that year.
Tomorrow’s rematch between the clubs is also a fundraiser with all the proceeds going to the Fraserburgh Lifeboat Station.
Thom joined the Fraserburgh board last year and has been appointed vice-chairman at Bellslea after Peter Bruce stepped down due to work commitments.
Alongside that VT Wealth – the company set-up by his wife Vee – have stepped up to become Fraserburgh’s main shirt sponsors for the new season.
Thom said: “The Celtic game in 1970 was my very first game.
“It’s quite fitting that this weekend’s game is my first as vice-chairman and our first game as main shirt sponsor.
⚫️⚪️📢VT WEALTH CUP📢⚪️🟢
Fraserburgh v Celtic
Sat 1st July 2023
All Ticket – SOLD OUT
PPV : https://t.co/H9kgJPudFz
HISTORY : https://t.co/livKS3FJQd@CelticFCB @CelticFC @PandJSport @ee_sport @BBCSport @Tyrone_M_Smith @STVSport @ChristopherHarv https://t.co/Zsa3eEa95I
— Fraserburgh FC (@FraserburghFC) June 28, 2023
“My grandfather was a fisherman and both sides of Vee’s family are fishing families in Portknockie and Hopeman and we’ve had family members that have been lost at sea.
“The occasion is quite poignant for us. The RNLI play a huge part in coastal communities, the town has got amazing links with the harbour and the sea.
“It’s appropriate and poignant that the RNLI will be the beneficiaries of the match takings.”
Cup up for grabs
Fraserburgh and Celtic will also be playing for the VT Wealth Cup tomorrow with the company donating a piece of silverware to mark the special occasion.
Thom, who is VT’s operations director, added: “Not that we need an incentive to try to win, but hopefully the cup can remain in the boardroom at Bellslea for the next 50 years.
“It’s a one-off game – unless Celtic want to make it an annual thing – then it’ll be a different story!”
Reflecting on taking on the role of vice-chairman Thom hopes he can do his bit to help Fraserburgh continue to challenge for silverware.
He said: “The team and the town means a lot to me and I was quite humbled to be asked to be vice-chairman.
“What I’ve been asked to look at in my new role is the whole financial and operational governance of the club.
“We want to have a structure in place which can support the ambitions of (manager) Mark Cowie and (assistant manager) James Duthie.
“I’m really keen to work with the board to get a structure in place which can support our ambitions.”
