Lachie MacLeod believes Banks o’ Dee are in a great place to try to win promotion to the Breedon Highland League.
The Junior side won the Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield for the first time on Wednesday night with a penalty shoot-out success against Huntly.
It caps a memorable double for Dee, who also claimed the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup for the first time in October.
This season, for the first time, there is the opportunity for Junior clubs to get promoted to the Highland League.
Although Banks o’ Dee still have work to do to win the North Region Superleague and secure a place in the play-offs, striker MacLeod believes they are capable.
The 23-year-old said: “The club is definitely in the right place to go for it.
“You can see how we’ve performed in the Aberdeenshire tournaments and in the Scottish Cup as well.
“Now is probably a pretty good time and better than at any time before to go for it.
“We’ve established ourselves and we’ve built up a good facility at Spain Park and a good squad, so why not?”
History made by Junior side
Banks o’ Dee were pushed all the way in the Aberdeenshire Shield final by Huntly, but eventually prevailed 5-3 on penalties following a 3-3 draw.
It is only the sixth time a club has won the Aberdeenshire Cup and Shield in the same season.
Fraserburgh (three times), Peterhead and Buckie Thistle are the other sides to do it.
MacLeod added: “It was a really difficult game in really difficult conditions and we knew it would be very tricky.
“There was a bit of doubt if it would go ahead, but we’re really pleased that it did.
“We’re buzzing to win both trophies – the gaffer mentioned only three clubs had done it in the same season.
“For us, as a Junior team, to go and win it and win it in the style we did shows we’ve got that side to us where we can dig it out.
“There’s more to us than just playing attractive football at Spain Park.
“We managed to go and do it at a difficult venue against a really good side in Huntly.”
Super-sub changed the game
MacLeod made a game-changing contribution in the final.
He came off the bench with his side trailing 2-0, but scored Dee’s second and third goals as they netted three times in seven minutes to take the lead.
MacLeod also scored during the penalty shoot-out and was pleased with his contribution.
He said: “You want to start every game, especially in the big games, so I was disappointed not to start.
“But Jack Henderson and I are going to toe-to-toe at the minute and you can see with the goals we’ve scored this season that we’re feeding off each other.
“We always know whichever striker starts the other one will support them.
“We can play together as well, but the team probably plays best in a 4-3-3, so that’s just the way it is.
“I was absolutely buzzing with my contribution, but it’s what strikers are there to do in tough games is score goals.
“Jack made the second goal and that just shows we can play together.”