Gauld looks to stay in the Highland League after departing Locos

Neil Gauld says he will remain in the Breedon Highland League following his departure from Inverurie Locos.

The striker, who is the Railwaymen’s record scorer with 286 goals, has left Harlaw Park having asked to be released after being told he was no longer part of manager Richard Hasting’s plans.

As a free agent Gauld will attract plenty of attention and aims to stay in the Highland League.

The 35-year-old said: “I don’t think I have to prove myself, but I’m going to sign for another Highland League team and will hopefully have a good season next season.

“I don’t know who it will be with, but I’m definitely going to stay in the Highland League.

“Before the events of this week I saw myself finishing my career with Inverurie, there was nothing that would have swayed me to go to any other club.

“I’ve got a terrific relationship with the fans. I paid for the supporters’ bus up to Strathspey for the last game of the season with money I raised from my testimonial to show my appreciation to them.

“I have spoken to a lot of supporters and I didn’t want to leave the club, it was the manager’s decision.

“I was told I wasn’t needed so I felt my only option was to ask for a free transfer.

“I’m thankful the club have released me and that was what I wanted after I knew I wasn’t part of the plans.

“I’ll sit down and speak to whoever is interested in me and it’ll be my choice where I go.”

Gauld signed a contract extension until the summer of 2023 in December and was shocked when he was told he was surplus to requirements.

The player, who celebrated his testimonial this season, added: “I had a meeting with the manager and he said unfortunately I wasn’t in the plans.

“It came as a surprise to me and I felt the timing was pretty poor. I was told on Tuesday and my testimonial golf day was on Thursday so my testimonial year hadn’t even finished.

“My testimonial game and the last game of the season was a couple of weeks ago.

“If I wasn’t going to be part of the plans I would have rather been told before then so I could have said goodbye to the fans like Neil McLean and Ryan Broadhurst did.”

Across three spells with Inverurie Gauld helped the club win the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup twice (2007-08 and 200809), the SFA North Region Challenge Cup (2008-09) and the Morrison Motors (Turriff ) Aberdeenshire Shield (2013-14).

He added: “All the cups we’ve won have been a highlight.”

Striker Gauld was Inverurie Locos’ record scorer.