IT HAS always been regarded as a sport as Scottish as kilts and haggis, but new research shows that shinty was once played at two of England's most iconic football stadiums - Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.
Dr Hugh Dan MacLennan, Scotland's leading shinty historian and the vice-president of the Camanachd Association, yesterday revealed that the sport was once popular south of the border. Nottingham Forest, a football club, was even established to play shinty.
Dr MacLennan said yesterday: "In England particularly, it is thought that shinty was only played up in Scotland, but there was a rich and vibrant tradition down south. I presented my findings to the Society of Sport Historians in the south of England and it came as a grand surprise.
"Reports of shinty matches played in England read like an itinerary of modern Premiership football venues. Shinty was certainly played at Old Trafford ? albeit before the modern stadium was built ? Manchester beat Bolton Camanachd Club at Old Trafford in 1879. The London Club played at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge long before they played football there."
He added: "The thought of Chelsea's multi-millionaire footballers playing on the same field as these shinty-playing Highlanders is incredible. We are going back to the very origins of Stamford Bridge stadium, when it also staged Highland gatherings.
"They played for the title of shinty world champions there - Beauly went down from Inverness to play for the title.
"A number of modern football clubs, most notably Nottingham Forest, were actually formed as shinty clubs."
Dr MacLennan said shinty was played by hundreds of Scots who went to south to find work in factories. But the game was run and played by wealthy Scots.
He said: "There were two ends to the social spectrum. Some Scots went down for menial work but Scots also formed hoi polloi in London. This exiled social elite formed Highland societies wherever they went, and organised huge events and gatherings.
"There was a great social scene and all the great and the good were attached to shinty clubs as patrons. The first patron of the Camanachd Association, in 1893, was Lord Lovat.
Dr MacLennan said there was a shinty circuit, and teams including the London Camanachd Club and teams from the north and midlands played for trophies.
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