Keith FC Legend Cammy Keith hangs up his boots
Keith FC Captain, centre forward, and all time top scorer Cammy Keith has called time on his illustrious career, with North defenders probably breathing a huge sigh of relief. Arguably the most prolific goalscorer in North football during the last 10-15 years, the likeable 34 year old bulged the net no fewer than 263 times for his beloved Maroons, with an additional 88 goals during his spell at Formartine.
A prodigious talent as a teenager, he made his Keith debut at the tender age of 17, replacing Club Legend Darren Still in the match at Huntly on 4 September 2004, scoring his first goal in the 5-0 defeat of Brora Rangers on 29 October 2005. Who would have thought then, that the affable Aberdeen born hotshot, would go on to nab all those goals in 336 appearances. His phenomenal strike rate saw him find the back of the net in 173 of these outings.
Along the way he was part of the tremendous Maroons side of 2006-07 under the leadership of Martin Allan, winning the Highland League, Highland League Cup and Aberdeenshire District Shield. He also skippered the team to their last League Cup win in 2013, converting the winning goal in the Final from the penalty spot, and was part of the side that won the District Shield in 2005-06. The League Cup victory, thrashing Buckie Thistle 5-0, saw the then 19 year old grab an unforgettable hat-trick. That same season Cammy and fellow teenage sensation Jamie Lennox spent a week training down at Nottingham Forest.
His season’s best of 43 goals in 2010-11 fell just two short of Raymond O’Hara’s Club record from 1979-80, but he equalled Keith Rattray’s 35 league goals in a season, which ‘The Bustling Bobby Fae Banff’ achieved in 1969-70.
At the end of the 2006-07 season, Cammy headed Stateside for ongoing University studies, playing for Binghampton in the American East Conference for two seasons. During that time his goal prowess shone through with 19 goals and 20 assists in only 33 games.
He wreaked havoc throughout the North on his return to Kynoch Park for 2009-10, and it was no surprise when big spending Formartine United stepped in with a bid the Maroons could not turn down in the summer of 2013. However, it was probably written in the stars that he would eventually return to his beloved Kynoch Park, which he did in 2017, and continued to nab goals for fun.
Writing himself into Keith FC Folklore with a five goal haul in a Qualifying Cup tie at Cove, still only 19 years old, he went on to hit five quartets, and 13 hat-tricks for the Club. All considerable records, as is his 48 penalty conversions, as well as being the Club’s all-time top scorer in the Scottish Cup with 10 goals.
His goalscoring feats, and likeable personality, endearing him to fans and team-mates alike, saw him end up Club top scorer a record nine times, as well being voted Supporters Player of the Year a record six times and Players Player of the Year twice. He also got his hands on the Young Player of the Year Trophy twice, sharing it once with fellow starlet Lennox. He was the Highland League’s top scorer three times as a Maroon, also winning the Highland League Player of the Year Trophy.
Keith FC entered the Highland League in 1924, and have a long and proud history with so many famous Number Nines, but surely the Legend that is Cameron James Keith tops the formidable list. Those of us lucky enough to witness his amazing goalscoring capabilities can count ourselves very lucky indeed.
A WHIFF – A SNIFF – THE BALL’S IN THE BACK O’ THE NET – THE KYNOCH PARK P.A. ECHOES OUT “GOAL SCORED FOR KEITH BY NUMBER NINE! CAAMAAY! KEITH!!” WHEN WILL WE SEE HIS LIKE AGAIN?