Aaron McKenna is loving life with top-of-the-table Turriff United.
The former US collegiate midfielder, who now works in the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen, picked up the man-of-the-match award in last Saturday’s 1-0 derby win over Deveronvale at the Haughs and after taking his club to the summit he is intent on keeping United there.
McKenna said: “It is nice last Saturday’s win over Vale saw us leapfrog Brora and take us to the top of the Highland League. We need to continue taking care of our games and not worry too much about what others are doing. There is still an awful lot of football to be played.
“It was a hard-earned three points against Vale as we were coming back after three weeks off with the bad weather and there is no doubt they are better than their 12th place in the table would suggest.
“I was lucky enough to provide Gary McGowan with the pass to score the winning goal. The ball came to me, I heard the shout, played him in and, thankfully, it worked out.”
Englishman McKenna, 26, who arrived at the Haughs in the summer of 2013, is thriving in the league after spending four years in the United States.
He said: “I studied from 2007 to 2011 as an undergraduate at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, in mathematics with a chemistry minor, and when I moved back I came to Aberdeen and completed a one-year masters degree in oil and gas engineering at Aberdeen University.
“I have loved playing my football with Turriff, my team-mates are brilliant, as are all the backroom staff.
“I don’t think you could ask for better, it has been brilliant for me.”