Fort William forward Arran MacPhee is our next shinty star to shoot back answers to our 10 quick-fire questions about the sport.
The 26-year-old has been a one-club man, and speaks here about the ups and downs he’s experienced at the top-flight West Highlanders.
But, from horrific injuries to promotion-clinching goals, MacPhee says – overall – he has had a ball over the years.
What is your earliest shinty memory?
It was probably a primary school tournament in the local hall at the Nevis Centre, near An Aird in Fort William.
We used to play against all the other local schools pretty much every Friday night.
Some of the guys I play with now used to be in those teams, or I played against them. I am still playing against or with these guys now, so I have grown up with them.
Who was senior debut against and what was the result?
I think it was against Glen Urquhart in Drumnadrochit and it might have been a pre-season friendly.
I was 15 at the time and I came off the bench and played up front alongside the likes of Gary Innes, Gordie MacKinnon and Victor Smith.
The squad was really strong and I was pretty fortunate to get into the team so young.
What is your best moment in shinty so far?
When I got into the first-team, I was playing with my older brother Niall. We played together for a few years.
I’ve not had many club successes as such.
I’ve won promotion to the Premier League a couple of times and won the Balliemore Cup a couple of times, but I have not won a senior trophy in shinty, so the first time playing with my older brother would be my best moment.
And the worst?
Being relegated from the Premier Division (in 2016) was really difficult.
We played local rivals Lochaber at Spean Bridge. There was not much between the teams and we got beat, so that was pretty tough.
What is the worst injury you have suffered?
I’ve had a couple of bad ones – I ruptured my crucial ligaments a few years ago and I had to get surgery on my knee, which kept me out for seven or eight months.
The worst, or most gruesome, one was when I broke my collarbone in two places when I was 17. A bit of the bone was floating and close to breaking through the skin. I had to get surgery get that realigned.
Who is the joker in the team?
Probably our goalkeeper Paul MacKay. He’s quite quiet, but once he gets a few beers, he is always full of craic.
What is your favourite away ground?
I’d say the grounds which are the furthest away because you have the bus and it’s good craic on the way back.
We played Kyles (Athletic) recently and it was the first time we’d played them away in a couple of years, so we had had quite a few stops at the pubs on the way back.
Kyles, Bute or Skye away would be the best grounds to go to because they involve the longer journeys.
Who is the rival player you would have loved in your team and why?
This was a tough one as I don’t want to do anyone a disservice!
Gary MacPherson from Inveraray was certainly a contender for that because when I first came up against him, I thought I’d fare well as the younger player, but he usually got the better of me.
Overall though, I’d have to go for Duncan Rodgers, who was at Fort William and made the decision to go and play for Kilmallie.
If Duncan stayed at Fort William, we would have kicked on and I don’t think we’d ever have got relegated.
Duncan was an unbelievable player.
What is the favourite goal scored by you or a team-mate?
I scored a goal at Oban, which basically clinched our promotion back to the Premier League. We were 1-0 up and I scored the second one low into the bottom corner.
I’m not a gambler, but I actually had a wee bet on with one of my pals that I would score 30 goals that season. That goal took Fort William back to the Premier League and made me hit my mark with the bet. The drinks were on him that night.
Describe the sport in three words?
Fast, fun and craic.
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