Keith FC in mourning as club legend Alex Rutherford passes away aged 80
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By Charlie Simpson
A FAMILY dynasty lasting 94 years has come to an end as Keith FC mourn the passing of honorary president Alex Rutherford at the age of 80.
Alex’s father, Alex senior, played for the Maroons as a 15-year-old on October 23, 1926, against Buckie Thistle, and went on to become club president in 1957.
He became a cornerstone of the club’s great success in the late 1950s and 60s until his passing in 1973.
Alex’s mother Ina also carried out the boardroom half-time tea duties for many years.
Alex junior had been assisting administratively for a couple of years before being officially invited onto the management committee at an AGM in March 1958.
He moved on to become secretary and was in that post as Keith won three Highland League and Highland League Cup titles in a row.
Stepping down from the post he held with the utmost integrity and distinction in 2000, he then became honorary president of the club he loved for the next
20 years.
Alex is the last remaining administrative link with the marvellous 1961-62 championship-winning side, as well as the first-ever Qualifying Cup-winning team of 1960-61, and first-ever Highland League Cup-winning side of 1964.
In all, he served the club for more than 40 years and saw seven titles, 10 League Cups, four Qualifying Cups, six Aberdeenshire Cups and five Aberdeenshire District Shields arrive at Kynoch Park.
Alex was responsible for bringing the late, great Sandy Stables into the Keith FC family, with the two having worked together at Chivas.
Many adjectives suitably describe the man, who was honourable, shrewd, meticulous, thoughtful, generous, kind and diffident.
Alex was an incredibly capable organiser, who masterfully organised club Burns Suppers for many years.
Although not one to seek the limelight, he was not afraid to pick up the phone and in that very distinctive voice say: “Yes, Alex Rutherford, Keith Football Club here. We have space for a sponsorship table at next week’s match, would you like to take it up?”. More often than not, the call was a success.
He was a main instigator of Keith FC becoming the first team in Scotland to wear sponsored shirts in 1977, and he also played a major part in the Maroons employing a full-time commercial manager a year later.
It was also Alex who came up with the idea of the club motif KFC being intertwined.
So many stories and tales to recall, but above all Alex was a good friend to many, and was highly respected throughout the Highland League family and beyond.
This may be the end of the Rutherford dynasty, but it’s one that will always be remembered at Kynoch Park.
Alex will be sadly missed and the club’s thoughts are with the family at this time.
