The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Time up at Wick as Weir focuses on home
Farewell: Forward Gary putting his family first
Rothes last won the North of Scotland Cup in the 197879 season by defeating Inverness Thistle 1-0 at Telford Street.
Nearly 40 years on the Speysiders won’t have a better chance of reaching another final.
If the Mackessack Park club wins Saturday’s quarter-final at North Caledonian League club Golspie Sutherland they will face Fort William or Invergordon at home in the semi-final.
Rothes manager Steven MacDonald is playing down his side’s chances, and said: “It appears an attractive draw, but if we play like we did when Nairn County beat us 2-0 on Saturday, believe you me, Golspie will really be fancying their chances.
“We need to pick the players up and get them back to the standards they showed when we beat Wick Academy at Mackessack Park the previous Wednesday night. If we can do that then we will give ourselves a chance. I was getting bored watching our performance against Nairn last Saturday.
“We are going to get setbacks and there will be ups and downs, but at times it’s a bit like one step forward, then two steps back.”
Summing up his three months in charge at Mackessack Park MacDonald added: “It would be terrible if we ended the season with the kind of defeat we suffered against Nairn. I was very down about the situation, but we have an early chance to redeem ourselves and give the supporters some pride again.” Family comes first for Wick Academy attacker Gary Weir, who has called time on his Highland League career after 442 appearances and 168 goals for the Scorries.
Weir capped his final appearance by scoring from the penalty spot in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Formartine United at Harmsworth Park.
Weir, who once scored all eight Academy goals in the 8-1 thrashing of Fort William on October 26, 2013, first played for Wick at the age of 15 and said: “My wife Debbie and I have a son Jackson, who is now two years old, and my wife is expecting our new baby next Thursday, so the total commitment players have to give is one of the reasons for my decision to call it a day.
“I’ve not been enjoying my football as much this season as I have done in years gone by, and that is reflected by the fact I’ve only scored five times this term, a really poor return.
“Players need great commitment to play for Wick Academy with all the travelling involved every other weekend, you need to be 100% focused and if I can’t give that I think it is time to call it a day.”
There was no better way for Weir to finish with a goal and he added: “I’ve taken lots of penalties for Academy, even in cup finals, but I was more nervous about the one against Formartine than any other
“I was getting bored watching our display against Nairn” “I’ve not been enjoying my football as much this season as I have done”
one. I just didn’t want to go out in my last game having missed a penalty and I just before I had hit the crossbar with a free kick. But I was reasonably confident going up to take the penalty, especially as I had been brought down in the box to win it.”
The highlight of Weir’s career was being in the Wick Academy side which beat Nairn County 5-2 last season to win the club’s first trophy in senior foot- ball, the North of Scotland Cup.
He added: “It was a truly memorable, not just because I scored a goal but because all my family were there, and it was the last time my late grandfather saw me play.”
Academy manager Gordon Connelly is disappointed to see the 29-yearold hang up his boots, and said: “It’s a sad day. Gary is giving up his contract, but I don’t think he’ll ever properly give up Wick Academy, he is Mr Wick and the door will always be open to him here.”