The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Jags out to display progress with win
Buckie Thistle president Garry Farquhar believes winning the Highland League Cup would be a sign of the club’s progress.
The Jags face Rothes at Kynoch Park, Keith, tomorrow in the final of the competition which will be played behind closed doors because of C ovid -19 restrictions.
Buckie’s last success was winning the Highland League title in 2017, having also claimed the Aberdeenshire Cup earlier that season.
This is the Victoria Park outfit’s first final since then.
Following their title glory injuries hit the Jags hard, but they have rebuilt since then.
Having finished fourth in last season’s c ur tailed Highland League season, winning the League Cup would be more positive progress.
Buckie defeated league champions Brora Rangers on penalties after a 2- 2 draw to reach the final.
Farquhar said: “I think it would be a statement of where we are now if we could win because to get to the final we had to beat last season’s champions.
“And I thought we deserved to get through and my opinion was that we were the better team.
“So we’re there on merit and with the squad we’ve got just now it would be brilliant for them to get some silverware.
“It is a new team compared with the one that won the league.
“We’ve still got some guys left that won the league, but there are a lot of new boys and it would be great for them to ge t something.”
The return of players from long- term injuries over the past year or so has boosted Buckie.
As well as getting players back, manager Graeme Stewart has dipped into the transfer market to add to his options and Farquhar praised the job he’s done.
He added: “Injuries did take their toll on us.
“The season after we won the league particularly we had a really bad spell.
“That put us out of the joint for a while but players have recovered and everything is coming together now.
“We feel we’ve got one of the best squads we’ve had for a long time with some really good young players and also some good experienced players as well.
“As a club we did the best we could when we had a lot of injuries and tried to support the players.
“We also supported the manager Graeme Stewart to allow him to build a squad.
“It’s taken time to get players back and get players in, but he’s put this squad together and he’s happy with it and the players all want to play for Buckie.
“Graeme’s spent a lot of years at Buckie and loves the club.
“I’m sure that will continue for some time to come because he’s got great enthusiasm for the job and the club.”