The latest funding award, worth £5,000, will go towards the cost of travelling to away matches, which are the club’s greatest expense.

Orkney Football Club Vice-Chairman Euain Penny said the salmon farmer’s ongoing sponsorship, amounting to a total of more than £60,000 since it began in 2013, was a lifeline.

‘We’re playing more away matches than ever because there are new teams in our league, from Fort William and Inverness.

‘We have been lucky enough to have Scottish Sea Farms as our sponsor since day one and we couldn’t have done it without their support.’

The club relies on Orkney Youth Development Group, set up more than 20 years ago, for a steady stream of talent, said Penny.

‘There is always a really good crop of youngsters coming through, and where we had been lacking up until 10 years ago was having a senior team to take these talented players a step further forward. Now they have something to aim for.

‘We’ve seen a few go on to sign for Highland League clubs, the next stage up, which is a loss for us but it’s great to see these young chaps get a chance to play at a higher level.’

For the club itself, competing in Tier 6 of the Scottish football pyramid brings the added incentive of possible promotion to the Highland League or entry into the Scottish Cup draw.

But to reach that standard the club, which currently plays home matches at Kirkwall Grammar School, needs to find a permanent base, with a year-round grass pitch.

‘We definitely have ambitions to find our own home and we’re looking at various options,’ said Penny. ‘We would still need to win the league – which we did in the 2017-2018 season – in order to be able to make that transition up to another level but I think the potential is huge in Orkney.’

Scottish Sea Farms Orkney Regional Manager Duane Coetzer, who took up his post last year, has learned first-hand the strength of local following behind the club.

‘Many of our own team are long-standing supporters of Orkney FC and can regularly be seen out in support at home games. So being able to play a part in ensuring that the islands’ top footballers continue to have the opportunity to compete at a high level is as much an honour today as it was 10 years ago, as is watching the club grow in experience and skill with every season.’

Club Captain Owen Rendall said: ‘On behalf of the squad, I would like to thank Scottish Sea Farms for giving us the opportunity to compete in the North Caledonian League. It would not be possible without their help, and it really is appreciated by us all.’