Caithness Rugby Football Club have made huge strides since their humble beginnings in September 1962.

Always a leading light in the north, the club could have begun their national league career in 1973/74 – the season after the SRU league system was inaugurated.

As champions of the Highland District League, they qualified to join National League 7 but turned down the invitation because of the travelling involved.

After a regular run of league and cup successes in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the club finally acquired national league status after winning the north district title in 1991/92.

Successive promotions took them to National League Division 2, where they remained for the past five seasons – ranking them in the top 50 or so teams in the country.

Last season’s mid-table position was a significant achievement considering that they faced a particularly punishing travelling schedule with eight of their eleven opponents based in, or south, of the Central belt.

Coach Colin Sangster and his squad deserve credit for their unstinting endeavour and commitment throughout an arduous season which was severely hampered by extremely inclement weather.

Colin, a respected, leading light within the rugby fraternity, has decided to relinquish the coaching post, after several stints at the helm, and channel his efforts into the role of director of rugby for the club.

His successor is Donald MacIntosh, the Green’s most capped player, who has previously coached the second team and served his apprenticeship, throughout last season, under Colin’s watchful eye. Players, supporters and committee members wish Donald every success in his new role.

The 2011/2012 season witnesses another major restructuring in Scottish rugby.

Caithness was among the overwhelming majority of clubs who backed the reshuffle which reduces leagues from twelve to ten clubs and regionalises the set-up below National Division One.

The Greens now find themselves in a highly competitive Caledonian A league, which results in a major reduction in travel and restores their links with old rivals such as Orkney and Mackie Academy FP’s.

The club are delighted to have recently appointed Neil Livett as its first ever club development officer. Neil brings a wealth of experience to the club and the move represents a major investment in the future of the game in our area.

Thanks to outside funding from the Highland Leader programme, Scottish Rugby and Highland Council, the club has offered Neil a two year contract, which we are hoping to extend on a rolling basis.

Neil, since taking up the post at the start of April, has been working tirelessly to breathe new life into our youth set-up.

While a much-valued band of volunteer coaches have been very active, the number of youngsters involved has been falling, with several age groups not represented in recent years.

Apart from initiatives to encourage newcomers and fill the gaps in the age groups, Neil has carried out a wholesale restructuring of the administration of our junior section.

The growth of the youth ranks is essential for the future health of the game in the county though it will need to be matched, not just by extra voluntary resource, but also funding.

Everyone involved with the club welcomes Neil to Caithness and wishes him all the best in his new post.

The club have never had a meeting place to call their own and the lack of a social venue at Millbank has been a major gap in facilities.

The proposed clubhouse includes changing rooms, showers, toilets, lounge/meeting space, bar and food serving facilities.

The project, at this moment in time, is at a crucial stage with our sub-committee in the throes of seeking to finalise the funding package.

Our ambition is to have the clubhouse up and running in time for our fiftieth anniversary season in 2012.

To put only one XV on the road every week costs the club around £20,000 per season.

We have an active fund-raising group that is always busy thinking of ways to supplement income.

A range of events such as selling Christmas trees, horse racing nights, catering on match days, Christmas raffles and other events raised over £7000 last year.

However, the club very much depend on business sponsorship to enable both senior and junior teams to compete in their respective leagues.

Because of our geographical position the commitment from players and coaches is huge.

We are particularly proud of the fact that our club is representative of all Caithness, calling on players from all sections of the community, exclusively from within the county.

We very much hope you will support Caithness Rugby Football Club as they continue to bring credit to the county and continue as one of the leading teams above the Central Belt.

Club rugby within Scotland, following the recent restructuring by the Scottish Rugby Union, consists of three Premier, one National and thirteen Regional divisions. Each of the Premier and National leagues consists of twelve teams while one hundred and thirty teams compete in the Regional leagues.

Caithness, having held their own in the now defunct, national Division two division, are placed in the uppermost regional league - Caledonia Division One.