Latest news with #BreedonHighlandLeague
Press and Journal
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Mark Nicolson enjoying Brora Rangers' Premier Sports Cup campaign as he reveals it could be his last season
Mark Nicolson is determined to savour Brora Rangers' Premier Sports Cup campaign because he is almost certain this will be his last season. The Breedon Highland League champions take on League One side Kelty Hearts on Tuesday night at Dudgeon Park after starting their section with a 2-0 home loss to Kilmarnock on Saturday. This is defender Nicolson's ninth season with Brora Rangers, and the 37-year-old, who spent a decade with Elgin City earlier in his career, revealed this may be his final season. He said: 'It's good to be involved in the League Cup. Sometimes you maybe take these sort of games for granted and I've been fortunate to play in these type of games a fair bit during my career, and you've got to enjoy them. 'This is my ninth season at Brora. I'm getting on a bit and I'm 95% sure this will be my last season before retiring. 'I want to make the most of it and enjoy every minute, because I'm pretty certain this will be it for me.' This is the third time Brora have competed in the League Cup group stage. The Cattachs have yet to win a game – although they did record two draws in 2020, but lost the subsequent penalty shoot-outs for a bonus point. Nicolson is hopeful Brora can pick up that maiden victory and believes the clash with Kelty provides a decent opportunity to do that. He added: 'We don't have a particularly great record in the competition, but hopefully we can get that first win. 'This game against Kelty and East Fife next week are two teams we feel we can match, so I don't see why we can't win those games. 'We've got good players in our squad who could play at a higher level and hopefully we can show that. 'We're a confident team and we're comfortable playing anyone at home. 'I'm hopeful the Kelty game will be more even. 'We know they're a good side with some really good players, but we feel we're closer to them in terms of ability than we were compared with Kilmarnock. 'Kelty are part-time like us and hopefully we should have more of the ball and be able to create a few more chances than we did on Saturday. 'We won't underestimate Kelty, but we're confident in our ability playing at home.' Brora are set to welcome back James Wallace and Alex Cooper for the game against Kelty, while they have also secured winger Max Ewan on a new contract until the summer of 2028. The 24-year-old joined the Cattachs from Nairn County in August 2021 and has helped them win the Highland League, three R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cups and two North of Scotland Cups. Meanwhile, the Highland League's other Premier Sports Cup representative, Brechin City, are also in action on Tuesday night. The Hedgemen take on Championship outfit Queen's Park at Lesser Hampden. Brechin were beaten 7-0 by Falkirk in their opening League Cup fixture on Saturday, while Queen's Park lost 2-1 against Spartans.
Press and Journal
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Ben Mackay reveals the role Kilmarnock boss Stuart Kettlewell played in Brora Rangers' rise
Brora Rangers benefactor Ben Mackay has credited Kilmarnock boss Stuart Kettlewell with helping to make the Cattachs serial winners. Kettlewell will be back at Dudgeon Park on Saturday for his first competitive game in charge of Killie when they take on the Breedon Highland League champions in the Premier Sports League Cup. The former Ross County and Motherwell manager spent two years with Brora. He joined the Sutherland club as a player in 2014 and helped them go unbeaten in the Highland League during the 2014-15 season, he then took on the role of player-assistant manager under Richard Brittain in 2015-16. Looking back on Kettlewell's time with the Cattachs, Mackay – who has overseen Brora winning 16 trophies in the last 12 seasons – said: 'My lasting memory of Stuart is that he scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out against Edinburgh City in the pyramid play-offs in 2015. 'In the last few years of his career Stuart had a lot of injuries and he didn't play too much for Brora, but when he did he made a real impact. 'I've got fond memories of Stuart's time with us, he's a really good guy and it's great to see how well he's getting on in football. 'When Stuart and Richard Brittain came to Brora they brought another degree of professionalism to the club and raised the standards. 'If you want to win things every season you need standards and Stuart and Richard helped embed the standards along with the likes of Grant Munro and Ross Tokely and that helped take the club to a different level. 'Those standards remain to this day at the club, so although Stuart wasn't here for a long period he's part of the reason we are where we are.' The clash with Kilmarnock is only the second time Brora will have played top flight opposition in a competitive match at Dudgeon Park in their 146-year history. Mackay is thrilled the Cattachs are competing in the group stage of the League Cup for the third time and with every participating club guaranteed a minimum of £30,000 in prize money it's a lucrative tournament to be involved in. He added: 'Saturday's a landmark day in the club's history it will be only the second time we've played a top flight club at Dudgeon Park in a competitive game. 'Any time you get the chance to play against Premiership opposition it's a day to savour. 'For the players getting the chance to show what they can do against top flight opposition is a great thing and it's good for our supporters to be able to see us going up against a side like Kilmarnock. 'For clubs like ourselves the prize money for being in the League Cup is very good. 'We're involved in the Scottish Cup every year, however, unless you get far enough to play Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts or Hibs you actually bring in more revenue from playing in this tournament than the Scottish Cup. 'That's something people don't realise so it's great to have qualified for it.' Mackay also revealed Brora have been busy getting Dudgeon Park ready for the new season and have invested in a state of the art sprinkler system. He said: 'We've put in a whole new sprinkler system during the close season which has allowed us to keep the pitch in much better condition during the summer. 'The sprinkler system has been another major investment and we've invested a lot in the pitch during the last three summers. 'We put down a new pitch two years ago, but the drainage wasn't quite right so we had to put in a new drainage system last summer. 'Now that we've sorted the drainage water doesn't stay on the pitch which means the pitch gets too dry so we needed to put in a sprinkler system so we can keep it in good condition.'
Press and Journal
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Highland League digest: Inverurie Locos captain reveals injury has ruled him out for new season - plus news from Lossiemouth, Deveronvale, Rothes and Huntly
Greg Mitchell has revealed he will miss the whole of the 2025-26 season due to a knee injury – but the Inverurie Locos captain is determined to bounce back stronger. The defender ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament and tore the meniscus in his left knee playing for the Railwaymen against Rothes on March 1. Following surgery on May 26, Mitchell has been told he will miss all of the new campaign, which is also set to be his testimonial season. The 29-year-old, who joined Inverurie 12 years ago, said: 'The operation went well and the surgeon was happy with how it went, so the recovery has started. 'It's the first long-term injury I've had, but I'm not going to let it put me down and I'm going to come back. 'When you hear ACL initially you think the worst, but it just makes me more determined to get back playing. 'I understand it will take 10 to 12 months to get back, but I'll do the rehab properly and get myself back. 'I've never had any thoughts about stopping playing because of this, it's just made me more determined to come back fitter and stronger. 'I love Locos and I enjoy playing for the club, so I'm determined to come back.' Skipper Mitchell admits he's disappointed he will miss next season, particularly because of the progress made by Inverurie in the last couple of years. In 2024, they won the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup to secure their first silverware since 2016, while last term the Garioch outfit finished fourth in the Breedon Highland League – their highest position in a completed season since 2018. Mitchell added: 'The last couple of seasons have been good with the progress we've made. The club is going in the right direction and I want to be part of that. 'It's frustrating to be missing the new season because I think it's going to be a very exciting season for the club. 'I won't be playing, but I'll still try to contribute in some way, even if it's just encouraging the boys or offering advice here and there.' Mitchell, who works as an account manager for John Bell Pipeline, says the support network he has around him is also giving him the drive to get back playing. He said: 'My partner Taylor, my family, my team-mates and the people at the club have all been first-class. 'Taylor's having to do all the running about for me, so she's got plenty to put up with! 'Everyone's been great, I've had team-mates coming round to see me, I've got a good support network around me and I'm determined to come back. 'I also need mention my work because they've been brilliant. It's 12 years since I joined John Bell Pipeline and they've been really supportive from the start. 'When I first got injured I was off for a wee while and then I was off for a couple of weeks after the operation and only returned to working from home on Tuesday. 'When your employer supports you in that way, it means a lot.' Lossiemouth manager Steve Porter is confident new signing Ethan Blanchard can handle the step up to the Breedon Highland League. After a quiet close season at Grant Park, the Coasters have made their first addition by securing the 21-year-old on a two-year contract from Deveronside, who he helped to Elginshire Cup glory last season. Blanchard can play at right-back or on the right of midfield, and boss Porter said: 'I first coached Ethan at Elgin when he was 11 or 12 and I coached him for a few years. 'He's played junior with Deveronside and I've kept in touch with him and I watched him a few times this year and he's done really well. 'With Owen Paterson being away in Australia, we needed a right-back and I think Ethan fits the bill really well, but he can play as a right winger as well. 'He's quick and technically he's very good. I don't think there's any question in terms of Ethan's ability, it's just about him gaining experience at this level as he steps up. 'It's just a case of him getting up to speed in the Highland League, but he's buzzing about the challenge so that's good.' This summer Lossie have lost a number of players. Ross Morrison and Ross Paterson have joined Buckie Thistle, Owen Paterson has moved to Australia, while Niall Kennedy and Baylee Campbell have switched to junior outfit Lossiemouth United. However, Porter is hopeful he'll be able to bring in more new faces. He added: 'At Lossie, if we see a young player with potential, or there's somebody in the juniors doing well who hasn't had the opportunity in the Highland League before, we'll give them a chance. 'The reality is we're not in a position to go and sign players and pay the fees some clubs may pay, so we try to find players that can develop with us and do well for us. 'We'd like to bring in a few more boys. It's not easy, but we'll keep trying and the board are working hard to support me and to try to move the club forward as well. 'I think Ethan will do well for us. The likes of Ryan Matheson and Shaun Cameron came in from the juniors last season and did well so hopefully Ethan can do the same. 'With the guys we've lost it's just been circumstances really – as much as I would have liked to have kept them, it's the way it goes. 'I can understand why Ross Morrison and Ross Paterson wished to take on a new challenge. 'Owen has moved to Australia, Niall's move is work related and Baylee doesn't feel like he's ready to play Highland League yet after his knee injury (sustained in July 2023).' Chairman Aaron Lorimer is hoping Deveronvale can keep progressing after their management team signed contract extensions. Manager Garry Wood and coaches Grant Noble, Graeme Watt, Scott Bridgewater and Wayne Urquhart are all now committed to the Banffers until the summer of 2027. Wood was appointed as Vale boss in May 2024 and led them to an 11th-placed finish in the Breedon Highland League in the 2024-25 season. Lorimer, who became chairman at Princess Royal Park last year, is optimistic that they can continue making strides up the table in the coming years. He said: 'It's great news for Deveronvale that the management team are all signed up for the next couple of years. 'Under the current management team we've made exceptional progress. 'We went from being 16th in 2024 to 11th this year, which we were really pleased with. 'Hopefully we can progress again and keep making gradual improvements in the next few years. 'We've got a young squad and we believe the players have got a lot of potential to continue improving in the years ahead. 'There's a good buzz around the club again, the crowds improved last season and the hospitality is as busy as it's ever been so there are good signs on and off the pitch. 'I've really enjoyed being chairman during the last year and myself and the board are keen to keep trying to move the club forward.' Rothes defender Brodie Mitchell has committed his future to the club by signing a new contract until the summer of 2027. The 18-year-old joined the Speysiders last August from Elgin City and made 27 appearances during the 2024-25 campaign. Mitchell follows Jake Thomson, Owen Alexander and Matthew McConachie in signing extensions this summer as manager Ronnie Sharp gears up for next term. Elsewhere, Adam Morris has left Huntly to relocate to Liverpool. The 21-year-old midfielder hails from Merseyside, but arrived in the Breedon Highland League in December 2021 when he signed for Fort William under Shadab Iftikhar. In the summer of 2022, Morris joined Huntly. He moved south again after a year, before returning to Christie Park in May 2024. Black and Golds boss Colin Charlesworth said: 'Adam has been an enjoyable player to work with. His attitude in training is unmatched and his commitment to the club can't be questioned. 'He's been ever present this season. 'After suffering a nasty leg break the year before signing with us, this season was always going to be a bit of a rebuild for him leading into the next one. 'Unfortunately things outwith Adam's control have meant he will need to head back to Liverpool. 'He'll be a loss around the playing squad for us, however, we fully understand his position and thank him for his time with us.'
Press and Journal
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Highland League digest: New faces in at Banks o' Dee, Buckie Thistle and Formartine United
Sam Pugh has had a taste for success and is aiming to get his hands on more trophies with new club Banks o' Dee. The midfielder has joined the Aberdeen outfit on a three-year deal following five years at Buckie Thistle, who he helped to win the Breedon Highland League title in 2024. Pugh was with Inverurie Locos and Keith as a young player before heading to America for a scholarship at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. The 27-year-old joined the Jags when he returned to the north-east in 2020, but with his contract at Victoria Park expiring this summer, Pugh has decided to take on a new challenge with Dee. He said: 'With my contract coming to an end I just felt it was the right time to move on. 'I was fortunate to have some good options to choose from, but the reason I chose Banks o' Dee is because in their time in the Highland League they've always been successful in terms of winning cups. 'They want to try to keep pushing on and being successful and I wanted to be part of that so hopefully we can have success. 'Winning the league at Buckie gave me a taste for winning things and wanting to win more and I feel Banks o' Dee is the place where I can do that. 'It's funny when we won the league last year with Buckie when we were celebrating on the Saturday night someone said to me 'plenty of people win it once, but not many win it twice.' 'Having had the feeling of winning the league I'd like to try to do it again. 'It was quite flattering the interest that clubs showed in me and there are pros and cons to every option. 'It was difficult to say no to clubs, but I'm hoping I've made the right choice with Banks o' Dee.' As well as winning the Highland League with Buckie, Pugh captained Thistle when they played Celtic at Parkhead in the Scottish Cup in January 2024. Looking back on his time with the Jags, he added: 'I've got great memories of my time at Buckie, I absolutely loved it at Buckie. 'When I came back from my scholarship I don't think a lot of people really knew me and Graeme Stewart took a chance on me at a time when I didn't have many options. 'The only regret I have from my time at Buckie was that we didn't win more because we put ourselves in the position to win things often enough. 'We were second in the league twice and lost four cup finals, but then when we did actually win the league that was really special. 'I'll never forget leading the team out at Parkhead as well, although it was very unlucky for Kevin Fraser. Kevin is the captain, but he was out injured so I got to lead the boys out. 'With Kevin being a Celtic fan I'd have loved for him to get the chance to do it, but to be captain on that day was special for me. 'The people at the club are amazing. My family come to all the games and the people at Buckie were always so welcoming to my family.' Buckie Thistle boss Lewis MacKinnon says new recruit Ross Paterson arrives at Victoria Park with a hunger to succeed. The Jags have signed the midfielder on a two-year deal from Lossiemouth, with his Coasters' contract expiring this summer. Paterson, 28, is the second player Buckie have signed from Lossie this summer, following the capture of Ross Morrison earlier this month. Thistle manager MacKinnon said: 'I became aware that Ross was available and when we played Lossiemouth in the last couple of seasons the games have been tough and particularly in the central midfield area, which Ross has been part of. 'He's fit, he's keen, he's a local Moray-based player and he's a free agent so he ticks a lot of boxes. We're delighted to get Ross on board. 'I think Ross Paterson, like Ross Morrison, is coming with a hunger to do well. 'He's joining a club bit further up the table and he's keen to push on. 'The attitude Ross has shown in the chats I've had with him has been really good and I think he'll flourish with ourselves.' For a number of years Buckie have drawn players from Aberdeen and Inverness as well as Moray. But MacKinnon says this summer he's largely been looking at players relatively local to Buckie and he hopes the Jags' supporters will back the new faces. He added: 'The way things are at the moment I've had guys from Aberdeen and Inverness who aren't so keen to travel. 'So you have to look elsewhere and when opportunities arise to sign good local players like Ross Paterson and Ross Morrison then you can't pass that up. 'I think if you do well for Buckie the supporters don't care where you're from. 'However, there's no question they like seeing local lads from Buckie, or from Moray, in the team doing well.' Manager Stuart Anderson believes Finlay Murray has a bright future with Formartine United. The 20-year-old defender joins the Pitmedden club after leaving League One outfit Cove Rangers. Murray was previously with Aberdeen and had a loan spell in the Breedon Highland League with Turriff United during the 2023-24 season. However, he left Pittodrie last year and signed for Cove, but made only seven appearances for the Balmoral Stadium side, and has now joined Formartine. Boss Anderson is looking forward to working with him and said: 'Finlay's a good young prospect, he's got bags of potential to develop into a really good centre-half. 'He's had a good background, coming from Aberdeen and Cove, and having that involvement in full-time football. 'He's one we feel can really develop with ourselves and we're looking forward to him getting started. 'The spell Finlay had at Turriff was his first spell playing men's football and he did really well at this level. 'We're a year on from that now and physically he's developed since then. 'I think Finlay will be a good fit for us and he'll give us another good option in the squad. 'Finlay probably had a frustrating season, he needs to get games under his belt, but he'll get plenty of opportunities with us. 'We've developed some good young players in recent seasons and hopefully he can be another one.' This week Formartine have also secured defenders Rhys Thomas and Luke Strachan and striker Brody Alberts on contract extensions. Anderson added: 'The three of them are good players and it was important for the club that we got them tied down. 'We're delighted that they see their future at Formartine, they've all got scope to develop further and hopefully they continue to get better and better.'
Press and Journal
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Brora Rangers boss Steven Mackay reacts to Premier Sports Cup draw
Brora Rangers boss Steven Mackay says their Premier Sports Cup draw brings back some great memories. The Breedon Highland League champions have been drawn in Group H alongside Premiership outfits Kilmarnock and Livingston and League One sides Kelty Hearts and East Fife. Brora have played all of those clubs before. In season 2017-18 they defeated East Fife 1-0 in the Scottish Cup at New Bayview to set up a last-16 tie against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, which they lost 4-0. In 2021 the Cattachs took on Kelty in the pyramid play-offs (losing 6-1 on aggregate) and last November they impressed in a 2-0 Scottish Cup third round defeat to Livingston. The League Cup fixture schedule has still to be finalised but matches will be played between July 12 and 27. Reacting to the draw, manager Mackay said: 'This draw brings back a lot of memories, some good and some not so good. 'The Scottish Cup run we had where we beat East Fife and then played Kilmarnock in the last 16 was a great experience. 'We played Kelty in the pyramid play-off, which wasn't such a good experience and then last year we played Livingston and put on a really good show I thought. 'It can be nice to face teams you haven't faced before, but equally it's also good to play teams we've got a bit of history with and we've got history will all these clubs. 'We're looking forward to it and looking forward to challenging ourselves against some top opposition. 'Kilmarnock and Livingston are both Premiership clubs and either of them coming to Dudgeon Park would be a great occasion for the club and the area. 'All these games are an opportunity for us to showcase what we can do. 'It's something for the players to look forward to and it will be good preparation for us for the start of the Highland League season.' The other Highland League side in the League Cup, Brechin City, have been drawn in Group A alongside Falkirk (Premiership), Queen's Park (Championship), Cove Rangers (League One) and Spartans (League Two).
