Brydon Robertson is the Secretary of Ness United AFC and joint manager of the reserve team.  He has been in the secretary post for just over 2 months and the manager post for 4 months.

Here, Brydon shares his thoughts on the bench...







G: When did you first get involved in amateur football and what were you doing?

B: 1999, when I started playing in the local Saturday league in the south mainland of Shetland.

G: What amateur teams have you been involved in and in what capacity?

B: Just Ness United AFC really, I have been a player, manager coach and secretary in my time with the club.

G: Do you feel the amateur football scene has changed since you first became involved with it?

B: I think it has, teams take training more seriously now, and referees have improved on the whole.

G: Do you have a favourite amateur team and why is it your favourite?

B: Ness United AFC, they're my local team and I just can’t see a time when they wouldn’t be my favourite.

G: What’s your most memorable moment in amateur football?

B: Seeing Ness United return to the ranks of Amateur football in Shetland, and watching Shetland beat Guernsey in the final of the Inter-Island Games in 2005.

G: What do you think about the quality of amateur football?

B: I think over the last few years the standard has improved on the whole and if you are watching the top teams in the league then you will be entertained and impressed by the quality of football.

G: Which team provided the best post-match hospitality? (who served the best pies?)

B: Unst AFC I would have to say, three course dinner and a case of lager and export to cheer us up on the trip home, I always wonder what they would have laid on if we’d beaten them!

G: What was the last game you watched?

B: Lerwick Celtic v Ness United in the Shetland AFA Premier League.

G: What was the last game you played in?

B: Been that long I’m struggling to remember! Probably 2 years ago against Whalsay reserves when I made an appearance off the bench.

G: If you had 3 wishes, what would you change about Scottish amateur football?

B: Better access to coaching courses and other relevant courses, being able to play 5 subs from the bench in the reserve league, to keep players in the game, more artificial surfaces for games so our playing season was longer.

G: What do you think about summer football?

B: We play summer football up here so I don’t have a problem with it.

G: Have you any views about the relationship of the professional game to the amateur game?

B: It could be a lot better, though Ross County make regular trips up here for youth coaching it would be good to see some work done with the adult game too.

G: What do you think the future holds for Scottish amateur football?

B: I think that the future is bright, there are a lot of well run clubs out there.

G: Have you any views on superleagues?  Do you think they are a good idea?

B: I think that it would be a good idea, teams would be rewarded for their effort though there isn’t much scope for it up here, we could do with two divisions with promotion and relegation.

G: What do you think about Community Hubs (NB not Community Clubs)?

B: In principle they are a good idea. I think the SAFA need to push the model for community Hubs more though. Our club use’s three pitches none of which they own, but with a good working relationship with the owners we get all our teams games played with access to good facilities and pitches.

G: Have you any comments on grounds and facilities?

B: Generally the pitches and facilities in Shetland are good, though the weather does impact on the length of the playing season.

G: Do you think there is adequate provision of development courses & funding for them?

B: It's better than it was, but it could be a lot better, we tend to be at the end of a long line in Shetland.

G: What do you think about the SAFA Select team – how do you think it could be developed?

B: It should come up to Shetland and play the county select, good chance to test the standard of football up here, and also for the selectors to see some of the local talent.

G: Are there any other comments you would like to make?

B: Thanks for giving our club the chance to raise its profile on the national scene.



No problems, Brydon.  Thanks for taking part in On the Bench.  I look forward to following the progress of the Shetland teams over the summer months.