Oban Celtic manager Dougie MacIntyre has lashed out at neighbours Oban Camanachd, accusing them of conduct which is “ruining shinty in the town”.
MacIntyre lost his newly-appointed captain Andy MacDonald to their rivals on the eve of the new season – only weeks after Jamie Forgrieve also crossed the Oban divide.
“There is considerable bitterness locally about what’s been happening,” MacIntyre said. “They have been pestering our under-14 and U17 players to sign for them – why can’t they focus on producing their own talent?
“We’ve the town’s best youth coaching setup, with cracking coaches like Stephen Campbell and Lorne Robertson, who played alongside me in Oban Camanachd’s last Camanachd Cup winning side in 1996. We coach kids from six to 16.
“But this continual phoning of our youngsters is getting worse and is shoddy behaviour.
“Both clubs agreed to field a combined youth team in competitions this year. We were all for a united approach – but they pulled out.”
The Camanachd Association need to step in and do something.”
– Oban Celtic manager Dougie MacIntyre
MacIntyre added: “We appointed Andy as our skipper and paid his subscription fees to the Camanachd Association, yet they sign him just before our first National Division match.
“We’ve a very young side and Andy’s loss is a major one for us. It’s part of a pattern and it leads to a loss of motivation in our camp.
“Oban Camanachd are ruining shinty in the town and not giving Celtic a chance.
“Yet Camanachd are the Premiership side and we’re no threat to them.
“It seems that certain people won’t be happy until Oban Celtic close down.
“The Camanachd Association need to step in and do something.”
Oban Camanachd boss refutes accusation of efforts to derail Celtic
Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans denied any bid to damage Celtic, and insisted his club have not approached any young Celtic players, saying: “Celtic are one of the most famous names in shinty, with a great team in the 1960s, and there’s no way I’d like to see them fold.
“I’ve checked and our youth coaches categorically deny approaching any of the younger Celtic players.
“Five former Oban Camanachd players actually played for Celtic on Saturday.”
On signing Forgrieve and then MacDonald, Evans added: “As far as the first team is concerned, Jamie Forgrieve approached us.
“Amateur sportsmen are entitled to have aspirations and he deserves the opportunity to play Premiership shinty.
“I approached Andy MacDonald in December and he asked time to think about it.
“He came back to me in January and said he was staying with Celtic.
“I gather he later had a fallout with them and Andy contacted me 10 days ago to ask if our offer was still open – that’s what happened.
“Without being derogatory to Celtic, we’ve been playing at a higher level than them for 20 years so they’re not really on our radar. I actually wish them well.”
Conversation