1938 - GRANDSTAND PURCHASED
The original stand at Mackessack Park was bought from the Gordon Castle Games Committee for £25 and was erected in 1938 by volunteers. Given that the structure remained in use until 1995, it is arguably the best £25 the club has ever spent.
There was, however, an early set-back at the beginning of March 1939 when a strong gale arose about midnight on 3 March. A visitor to the ground at an early hour discovered that although the tiers of seats remained in position, the supports, the roof and the sides of the stand had been blown down and deposited some yards away.
Mr Willie Milne, the Rothes FC secretary, informed a Northern Scot reporter that the damage was covered by the club's insurance and that contractors would probably be employed immediately to rebuild the grandstand. The renovation work was expected to be completed within a week.
1946 - RECORD ATTENDANCE AND MATCH REPORT
Record attendance: 2,054 v Wick Academy on 28 Sep 1946 (Qualifying Cup, Second Round Replay)
Match report: On 28 September 1946, the Highland News and Football Times reported that a crowd of well over 2,000 was present at Mackessack Park when Rothes faced Wick Academy in the Scottish Qualifying Cup Second Round replay. Glorious weather prevailed.
Wick Academy were ahead within five minutes, W. Miller profiting by a defensive mix-up between Rothes' Brown and Bremner to tap the ball into the net. Exchanges were lively with Rothes doing most of the pressing. Their best chance came when Smith got clean through with the goal at his mercy but his parting shot was blocked by Miller.
Half-time: Rothes, 0; Wick Academy, 1.
On resuming, W. Miller went to centre forward vice Keafel. After a shaky start, Rothes improved and their pressure was rewarded seven minutes from the end of the game when G. Meldrum scored a clever equaliser.
Final score: Rothes, 1; Wick Academy, 1.
1977 - FLOODLIGHTS INSTALLED
First match under floodlights: Saturday 24 Dec 1977 v Inverness Thistle (Highland League fixture)
Official switch-on of floodlights: Wednesday 15 Feb 1978 v Dundee FC (Challenge Match)
1995 - MACKESSACK PARK PURCHASED BY CLUB
On 4 February 1995 the Aberdeen Evening Express confirmed that Rothes FC had completed the purchase of Mackessack Park, after handing over “a tidy sum” to British American Tobacco for the ground and a large area of land around it. The report also stated that work on Mackessack Park would get going in early spring and co-manager Graeme Scott provided further information for the club’s supporters: “We’ve been trying for more than a year to get the deal completed and now at last we can get going with our plans. We are hoping that the new stand and dressing rooms will be finished for the start of next season”
The club openly acknowledged that the existing grandstand, purchased second-hand forty seven years earlier, was past its sell-by date and that it had done nothing in recent years to encourage new talent to the club. “The old stand has been a bit of bi of an embarrassment sometimes, especially when we are trying to persuade a player to join the club," admitted Graeme Scott. "Any player we will be going for in future will at least see that we are ambitious.”
1995 - WORK COMMENCED ON NEW STAND AFTER EIGHT-MONTH DELAY
For eight months in 1995, “the best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men gang aft agley" probably encapsulates the delay in implementing the Mackessack Park redevelopment proposals. However, on 28 October 1995 the football club received the news that work had finally started on their new grandstand.
Since the 1995-96 season started, Mackessack Park had been without a stand after the club had earlier pulled down the old structure in preparation for building work to commence. Unfortunately, the club was refused planning permission and consequently Rothes fans had all been left open to the elements. Months of wrangling ended on 27 October when the foundations for the new 125-seater stand were dug. The Aberdeen Press and Journal reported that the club hoped to have it finished in about eight weeks.
2019 - SPECTATORS' FACILITIES EXTENDED AS COVERED TERRACING ADDED
Additional cover, in this case for standing spectators, was erected on the terracing directly opposite the main stand in 2019.
More info to follow.
