Andy Low hopes the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup final can mark the start of a new era for Inverurie Locos.
The Railwaymen face Banks o’ Dee in tomorrow’s showpiece at Fraserburgh’s Bellslea.
Low returned for a second spell as Locos manager in January and is hoping to guide them to their first silverware since December 2016.
There have been significant changes in personnel at Harlaw Park in recent years and Low believes lifting a trophy could signal the dawn of a new era for the Garioch club.
He said: “I don’t look at the past, I look at the future and the squad has changed a lot and this is a new team under new management.
“The first time I was manager, I got to a final, and this time we’ve managed to get to a final at the first attempt.
“It’s something we want to be doing regularly at Locos – this is the first opportunity to try to win some silverware.
“You’d take any victory in a cup final, but I’m wanting a good performance as well, because I think over the last four to six weeks we’ve done a lot of good work.”
Dee looking for memorable end to cup debut
Banks o’ Dee are bidding to win the Highland League Cup at the first attempt.
Co-manager Josh Winton believes success would be a fitting reward for the people who have tried to push the club forward since its promotion to the Breedon Highland League last summer.
He added: “It would give us a lot of positives to take forward into next season.
“It would also be a great reward for a lot of people behind the scenes on the committee who do a lot of work which has increased significantly this season with more hospitality, more travelling, booking more buses and things like that.
“For them, it would be a great thing, and for the club generally, I think it would be a great achievement to win it at the first attempt.”
For Winton, who is joint-boss alongside Paul Lawson, it will be a first final in management since the pair succeeded Jamie Watt in January.
He said: “Ideally it will be the first of many, but I’ve been in football long enough to know that might not be the case.
“There are teams in the league that would love to be in our position and I think we’ve got to embrace it and enjoy it.
“Hopefully we can do the business because you don’t know how many finals you may or may not be involved in, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Locos have earned the right
Low feels Inverurie’s best display of his tenure thus far was in their semi-final win against Brechin – and hopes a similar performance can propel them to glory.
He added: “I came in with the club in a semi-final.
“They came through Fraserburgh away and Turriff away to reach the semi-final.
“We’ve earned the right to be in the final, and I felt the performance against Brechin in the semi-final was our best performance since I’ve come in.
“We want to take that into the final
“I know what the players are capable of. They’re a great group of lads and they’re capable of winning.”
Inverurie will be without Jonny Smith and Cole Anderson, who are cup-tied, while Garry Wood is still sidelined after a foot operation.
Banks o’ Dee are missing long-term absentees Neale Allan, Kyle Willox and Marc Young.
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