Clydebank will travel to the shadow of Ben Nevis to take on Fort William after being paired with the West Highland side in the Scottish Cup second preliminary round.

As always, Gordon Moffat’s team will be given a fine Bankie backing with buses carting fans on the long journey north as they dream of another cup run much like the one in 2021/22.

But who are Fort William and what kind of challenge do Clydebank face?

Find out everything you need to know here.

 

Who are they?

Fort William Football Club was formed in 1974 and are nicknamed ‘The Fort.’ They are managed by Alan Gray.

Where do they play?

The team plays their home games at Claggan Park, situated on the outskirts of Fort William against the picturesque backdrop of the foothills of Ben Nevis.

The ground has a capacity of 1,800 with 200 seats.

What league do they play in?

They play in the North Caledonian Football League (NCFL) after being relegated from the 2021/22 Highland Football League (HFL).

The NCFL is in its third season being part of the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system – the same level as Clydebank in the West of Scotland Football League.

Winners of the NCFL go into a playoff to get promotion against winners of the Midlands League and North Region League Premier Division for the right to face the bottom HFL side.

Last season, Fort William finished third in the NCFL, 17 points behind winners Loch Ness.

What colours do they play in?

Fort William’s home strip is an orange and black colour and their away strip is an all-black look

Did I see them on TV?

The club were the subject of a BBC documentary called The Fort, a programme documenting the team's winless run.

On 31 July 2019, one day after the show was broadcast, Fort William won their first competitive match in 707 days when they defeated Nairn County 5–2 in a North of Scotland Cup tie, ending a 69-game run without a victory.

After another winless month, Fort William finally recorded their first league win in 882 days on 11 September, with a 1–0 home win against Clachnacuddin.

How did they get on in last season's competition?

The Fort hosted Benburb - ironically the side Clydebank kick off their season against - in the preliminary round of the 2022/23 Scottish Cup competition.

The match, played in August last year, saw the away side from Govan triumph 4-0.

Clydebank beat Bonnyton Thistle 4-1 on the same day.