Loch Ness FC: The Story Behind the Monster Kit That's Gone Viral

It's new kit season. All around the footballing world, marketing departments of the biggest clubs devise ingenious and attention-grabbing ways to promote next term's new garm.

It seems though, the title of 2020's best kit has already been won...by Loch Ness FC.

The Inverness-based amateur side, who are gearing up for their first season in Scotland's North Caledonian League, have already been inundated with orders for their 2020/21 home and away shirts after the Nessie-themed designs went viral.

In an era of cookie-cutter templates from the big kit manufacturers, the tops fast became hits for their originality, monster motif...and because, well, just look at them. They're beautiful!

""We've had orders from the Netherlands, Germany, Australia and Canada.""

- Phil Macdonald

Loch Ness' designs were featured on BBC Breakfast and even got a shout out from the official Match of the Day's Twitter account.

"We’ve had so many orders," Phil Macdonald, a Loch Ness FC striker who helped to set up the club website to deal with demand, tells 90min. "I’m talking Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Canada.

"There are shops in different countries that want to buy in bulk. It’s really insane. The problem is that we don’t actually have the shirts yet, they’re all on pre-order right now!"

Martin Mainland, a sweeper-cum-centre back and the graphic designer who came up with the look of the white away kit says: "When you see Match of the Day has posted your kit, it’s goosebumps, the hair stands up on the back of your neck."

""I don’t think we’ll be taking Nessie off the kit any time soon.""

- Martin Mainland

While Nessie has long been a feature of the club's badge, this year marks the first time Loch Ness FC, founded in 1999, have ever had a bespoke kit, with all previous designs having been off the rack templates. However, leveraging the popularity of their picturesque and world famous location has been an idea for some time.

Martin adds: "You know how popular Loch Ness is with the tourism industry...every country knows about Loch Ness.

"We wanted to do it last year because it was our 20-year anniversary but we ended up going for a Nike template for cost effectiveness."

After getting design help for the home kit from manufacturers Moving Forward Sports, the monster idea was given life in 2020.

"I have a small graphic design business and I was just messing about with it on the likes of Photoshop," Martin reveals. "I’ll take full credit for the away top, but the home top was mostly Moving Forward. We gave them our idea and they ran with it."

Beyond the publicity, the new kit has potentially been a lifesaver for Loch Ness FC. Despite the Scottish Highlands being virtually COVID free, the economic impact is being felt.

The profile of the kit is helping to bring in much-needed funds for a maiden season in the North Caledonian League, while the community club continues to search for a permanent place to play their home games.

""The profile of the shirt has lifted us to another level. I’m of lost for words""

- Martin Mainland

Striker Phil, who runs a record label when he's not on club duty, says: "Everything here is all grassroots stuff with all the players chipping in.

"One of the main struggles we've had is with finance. Some of the away trips involve going up to Orkney, which requires a boat and all sorts of things, so this is absolutely huge for a club like us.

"When this whole COVID situation kicked off we were like ‘we’ve got no money coming in. We don’t know if we can afford to go into the next season’ but this has been a huge help."

Martin adds: "The profile of the shirt has lifted us to another level. I’m kind of lost for words at how much it’s changed the club and it’s given us such a good foundation to build on. We‘ve had so many companies, local and big brands, contacting us regarding sponsorship."

There have been at least five recorded sightings of the Loch Ness monster this year alone, with a tourist's (questionable) pics in June picking up plenty of tabloid coverage and proving that interest in the myth is as strong as ever.

"If it’s possible to do a new kit every 12 months, we’d be happy to do that," Martin confirms as the club looks to exploit their Nessie link in the wake of this year's success.

"I don’t think we’ll be taking Nessie off the kit any time soon."

As for the club's goals, there is no direct path to promotion from the North Caledonian League, but it remains an ambition to keep moving up the pyramid towards semi-professionalism with the help of their newly raised profile. However, success has never been the most important thing.

"We know we’re not a big club but we’re a community club and we do a lot for charity," Martin says. "To survive at the level we’re at we need a local backing, we support them and they support us. At this level, you don’t have money to throw away. Especially during times like this, everybody needs to pull together"