The following is a brief history of the Club and we would welcome information from former players and supporters who could help fill in the blanks.
Stornoway United were formed at the end of 1944 when a group of boys came together at the YMCA in the town and created the Club. Initially, purely a Junior Team the Seniors were formed in 1949.
Our original team colours were dark blue but soon changed to the black and amber strips that the Club still uses today.
Stornoway United F.C. circa 1945
Back row: L to R: K. Buchannan, D. Robertson, R. Mackenzie, D.I. Mackay, M. Macdonald, R. Munro
Front Row: L to R: F. Macdonald, A. Stewart, K. Macleod, G. Alexander, D.W. Smith
The first trophy won by the Club was the Tormod Mor Tankard, a tournament held at the Willowglen pitch.
In 1950 United beat Ness Dynamos (the league leaders) 9 - 1 posting their highest winning score at the time although they were sitting tenth in the league at the time. Whilst losing out on the league to Point in 1954 by a single goal the team grew in stature and gained their first league title in 1958 by winning all sixteen games and scoring 81 goals in the process. They also improved on their previous highest win by beating School 11 - 1. This was the first of the five in a row titles although the title has since eluded us.
Patricia Macleod has kindly sent in this picture of her father, John M. Macleod of Balallan who was involved with United back in the Fifties. He is pictured here with a trophy awarded to him in recognition of his services to United between 1953 and 1957.
In the 1970's the Club were involved in a series of friendly matches with Celtic Boys Club both home and away with the Celtic teams containing such names as the McStays, Pat Nevin, David Moyes etc (See Programme on "Memorabilia" page and Press Article - /site/files/11455/David Moyes.pdf - written by Eric Mackinnon).
Although starved of success at Senior level from the middle 1970's onwards (Summer Cup 1975, Lewis Cup 1976) United's youth policy has continued to bear fruit with the Junior Teams consistently performing at the upper levels of their respective age groups and producing highly talented youngsters.
In June 2005 United invited a junior team from Inverness Caledonian Thistle to the island to help celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Club and despite losing 3 - 1 to the visitors were not outplayed. ICT donated a silver bowl to the club in recognition of their visit which has since been named the Willie Reid Memorial Bowl and was presented to the Junior League as an annual award in recognition of Willie, a stalwart not only of United but of Lewis Junior Football in general for many years.
In 2008 an Under 16 Team representing the Club were runners up in the Aberdeen International Football Festival losing the Final 0 - 3 to the Youth team of French Second Division side Clermont Foot Auvergne 63. They had met earlier in the competition and had drawn 1 -1. This result meant they were the only team in the competition to take any points off the French.
It was this commitment to developing youngsters that enabled the Club to revive its Committee Structure in 2001 and subsequently reform its Senior Team in 2003 which had had to withdraw from the League two years earlier.
United would be happy to receive any old pictures or news articles relating to the Club. Please e-mail us at: info@stornowayunitedfc.co.uk