Buckie Thistle manager Graeme Stewart is eager for his side to “take the next step” and win the GPH Builders Merchants Breedon Highland League Cup.
The Jags tackle Brora Rangers at Station Park, Nairn, in tomorrow’s showpiece.
Buckie haven’t won a trophy since the Breedon Highland League title in 2017 and since then Stewart has overhauled his squad.
Now the Victoria Park boss believes it’s time for his current side to claim silverware.
Stewart said: “Individually you want to win things for your own pride and to have something to look back on.
“For the players it’s a big thing and it can build confidence and help them grow as a team, because once you win one trophy it becomes easier.
“It’s important we win something. We’ve been close in the last few years and I’m confident we will win something.
“I’ve got faith that this team can go on to win multiple trophies, but the sooner we can do that the better.
“But Brora have been winning for years and are one of the most successful clubs of the last 10 years.
“Over the last 10 years Brora and Cove, when they were in the Highland League, have been the two dominant teams.
“We want to be thought of in that company and to do that we’ve got to go and win things.
“We know we’ve improved this season, but we need to take the next step.”
Thistle’s double hope
Buckie are also still challenging for the Highland League title, sitting a point behind leaders Fraserburgh with two games remaining.
The Jags have set a record in the league having won 23 successive games and Stewart hopes they don’t finish the campaign empty-handed.
He added: “It could happen that we end up with no trophies, but that doesn’t make it a bad season.
“We want to win the league and we want to win the cup. If we can’t win the league, we want to win the cup – and vice versa.
“If we don’t win anything, we’ll be disappointed, but we’ve still put together the best run the Highland League has seen.
“We’ve still pushed a top club in Fraserburgh very close in the league, having been a long way behind. We’ve still reached a major final.
“So that is progress for us. Yes we’ll be disappointed if we don’t win anything, but we’ll look at the positives.
“There’s so many positives to come out of the season and we want to end it with two trophies.
“That’s a tall order, but we’ve still got a chance.”