Peterhead boss David Robertson hopes to maintain a good relationship with their north-east neighbours Aberdeen.
The two clubs are just 30 miles apart and in recent seasons, have benefitted from Aberdeen loan players to the club.
Robertson is a former Dons player, turning out for them between 1986 and 1991, and sees the merits of continuing a strong connection between Peterhead and the Premiership outfit.
“When I got the job, a number of their staff reached out to me and asked if there was anything they could do,” said Robertson.
“We were invited to the game on Tuesday night (in the Aberdeenshire Shield), so the relationship has always been good there. But it’s nice they reached out and offered some help early in my time at Peterhead and we thank them for that.
“It’s a close tie that we’d like to have. But we’re not just restricting ourselves to one club. We’ve got a pretty good handle on things all over Scotland and in England as well.
“There’s plenty of help and assistance out there.”
Robertson played with Aberdeen’s pathways manager Neil Simpson at the start of his career.
Simpson was in the Dons first-team when Robertson made his breakthrough as a teenager and still holds an important role within the Pittodrie club.
“I played with Neil for most of the time I was there,” said Robertson. “I played in the first-team with him as well for a number of years until he moved on.
“He was one of the ones that reached out to me as well, which was pleasing.”
The Blue Toon had Ryan Duncan on loan from the Dons last season and this campaign have taken young goalkeeper Tom Ritchie for a similar spell.
Ritchie was initially due to join in the summer but instead went to Queen of the South. After his game-time at Queens failed to materialise, he was recalled and signed for Peterhead.
“He’s a young boy and he’s going to make mistakes,” said Robertson. “But in training and in games he’s been very good.
“He’s good with the ball at his feet and he’s got a great future in the game. He’s getting the game-time here, to learn his trade in a competitive men’s environment.
“He’ll learn a lot from it. He’s a confident guy as well, which is important. In previous weeks he’s been shipping a few goals and the team’s been losing, but his head hasn’t gone down.
“He’s still got confidence, which is so important.”
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