Wick Academy player-manager Gary Manson has hailed the service of Alan Farquhar as he gets ready for his testimonial.
The Scorries will take on a select side chosen from Caithness amateur football tomorrow in Farquhar’s home village of Castletown to celebrate his 13 years at Harmsworth Park.
Kick-off is at 4pm, but prior to that there will be a youth football tournament in the morning and a Wick veterans v Caithness veterans game at noon.
Farquhar joined Wick in 2009 and has made 347 appearances in black and white.
The 34-year-old defender was made club captain in 2014 and skippered Academy to their North of Scotland Cup triumph a year later.
Manson said: “I’ve known Alan for a long time and he’s made a huge contribution over the years.
“He’s been club captain for quite a while now and his influence within the squad has grown as his career has gone on.
“All the boys respect Alan, he’s a top quality player, he’s a good captain and a good guy to have around the dressing room.
“When he was injured last season we missed him, but now he’s back fighting fit which is great and it’s also great to celebrate his service with his testimonial.”
Competitive edge
Although it’s a testimonial, Manson says there will be a competitive edge to tomorrow’s tussle and expects to come up against some familiar faces.
He added: “It will be a tough test, because there’s a strong amateur scene with a lot of good teams in the area.
“I haven’t seen their squad, but I’d be surprised if Steven Anderson (who left Wick this summer to spend more time with his family) wasn’t in it and we know all about him.
“I’d imagine Andrew Hardwick (who also left Wick this summer) is another who will be involved and Jonah Martens will probably be playing as well.
“Hopefully there’s a decent crowd and I’m sure the locals will want to see how the amateur players fare against us.
“Everyone knows each other and there’ll be bragging rights to play for so, although it’s a friendly and a testimonial, it will be competitive because both sides will be desperate to win.”
New signing at the Vale
Meanwhile, Deveronvale have signed attacker Horace Ormsby on a two-year contract.
The 26-year-old is from the Essex area but now living in Aberdeen. He previously played for Stansted FC in the Essex Senior League Premier Division.
Vale boss Craig Stewart said: “He adds both pace and skill to the squad and we look forward to seeing him perform at Highland League level.
📝 Deveronvale are delighted to have signed wide forward player Horace “H” Ormsby on a 2-year contract. H is originally from the Essex area but is now living in Aberdeen and last played for Stansted FC in the Essex Senor League Premier Division. 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/7uB1hxjZXE
— Deveronvale Football Club (@DeveronvaleFC) June 30, 2022
“His enthusiasm and personality have allowed him to fit quickly into our setup following his move north of the border.”