Culbokie Football Club - Harry Windsor tributes

Photograph at foot of page.

26/5/2006 Ross-shire Journal                Tributes pour in for Harry Windsor

TRIBUTES have flooded in from all over the north for Highland Amateur football supremo, Harry Windsor, who died last week following a short illness aged 83. Mr Windsor was celebrating his 50th year as an office bearer in the Ross-shire Amateur Football League. He was also the founder of the prestigious Highland Amateur Cup, which has grown in status during its 28year history. Mr Windsor's funeral service, which took place at his beloved Culbokie football ground on Tuesday morning, was attended by hundreds of mourners from all over the Highlands and Islands. Representatives from the Scottish Amateur Football Association were also present, including league secretary, Hugh Knapp. Mr Windsor was a native of Liverpool, but he spent most of his adult life in the Highlands. He worked with the GPO in Dingwall before spending 25 years as a chargehand at AI Welders in Inverness. But his true love was football, and he soon got involved with his local club Culbokie shortly after moving north in 1947. He even spearheaded a group of local enthusiasts, who created a new football pitch in the village by making a clearing where the present pitch now stands. Mr Windsor led Culbokie to many successes on the park, and after 40 years at the helm, he stood down to devote all his time to running the local league and administering the Highland Amateur Cup. Bob Taylor, Aultbea, president of the Ross-shire Amateur League led the tribute to Mr Windsor. He said, "I first met Harry over 11 years ago, and regarded him as a good friend. He was also a great ambassador to football in the north. He will be missed by everyone who knew him." Alan Gair, manager of Ross-shire Amateur League champions, Dingwall Thistle, added, "I have only been involved in the amateur league in the last three years, but I had the greatest respect for the man. I think people will only now realise how much work he put in behind the scenes - he is irreplaceable." Avoch manager, George Patience, admitted he did not always see eye to eye with Mr Windsor, but said, "We had a few fall outs over the years, but Harry would never take the hump. He would be back on the phone the next day as if nothing had happened. He respected the fact that you also had an opinion. He will be a massive loss to football in the area." Ness Football Club chairman, Ken MacLeod, who represents Lewis and Harris AFA on the Highland Amateur Cup Executive, said, "The Highland Amateur Cup was Harry's brainchild. In the first season there was only 24 teams but now there are over 80 teams taking part each season from nine different associations." 'You'll Never Walk Alone', the Liverpool football anthem, was played as his coffin was brought through the doors of Inverness Crematorium. Mr Windsor is survived by his wife, Mary, sons Clive and Garry and five grandchildren.

23/5/2006 Inverness Courier                  Highland Amateur stalwart dies

ONE of the key figures in Highland amateur football, Harry Windsor, will be remembered at a funeral service to be held at the home pitch of his beloved side Culbokie this morning (Thesday, May 23). Mr Windsor was recognised as the driving force behind the Highland Amateur Cup, which he helped plan and launch in 1978 and had administered each tournament up to this year, which would have been his 29th in charge of the competition. His contribution to north football was recognised when he was made a life member of the Scottish Amateur Football Association. Black Isle resident Mr Windsor died at Raigmore Hospital overnight on Thursday. He was 83. Hugh Knapp, secretary of the Scottish AFA, said Mr Windsor's death had left a huge void which would be difficult to fill, but hoped the foundations laid by him over the last 50 years would stand the sport in good stead. "Our thoughts are with Mrs Windsor and the family at this sad time, " Mr Knapp said. "Harry was really the cornerstone of amateur football in the Highlands and Islands area. He epitomised everything that amateur football stands for. "He instigated the Highland Amateur Cup, one of the most prestigious cup competitions in Scotland and amateur football owes Harry a debt of gratitude for that." Originally from Liverpool, Mr Windsor moved to the Highlands in 1947 where he soon became involved with Culbokie, leading to involvement in various official capacities with both the Ross-shire and Highland Amateur Football Associations. Survived by wife Mary, sons Clive and Garry and five grandchildren, Mr Windsor's first job in the Highlands was with the General Post Office in Dingwall and was followed by 25 years as a chargehand with AI Welders in Inverness. Teams taking part in the second round of this season's Highland Cup contest on Saturday were asked to observe a minute's silence in tribute and Culbokie's scheduled cup tie with the Fluke Inn was postponed, as was the Ross-shire league programme yesterday evening. A service will take place at Culbokie football pitch at 11am today, before the funeral party moves on to Inverness Crematorium.

11/5/2007 Ross-shire Journal                    New Culbokie sports facility opens

A FAST-growing village that for long lacked adequate recreational space now boasts sports facilities that will be the envy of the Black Isle. And in a poignant tribute to the memory of a local stalwart of the amateur football scene, Culbokie's new £75,000 all-weather sports area was opened by the widow of the late Harry Windsor, Maeve. The facility was completed by the Culbokie Football and Recreation Club with grant aid from Awards for All, Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and a great deal of help from local businesses and helpers from the local community. The sports area is suited to football, hockey, shinty and a range of other sports and will be used by local schools during the day, with community use in the evenings and at weekends. The provision of floodlights will extend its use for evenings, especially in the winter time. Following the opening there was an inaugural football match between the new Culbokie and Resolis Primary Schools. After this, all who helped with the construction were entertained to a buffet reception in the Culbokie Inn.