Banks o’ Dee’s GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup triumph was a family affair for club president Brian Winton.
He has been a major driving force behind the Aberdeen side’s promotion from the Juniors to the Breedon Highland League, while his son Josh is co-manager alongside Paul Lawson, with his other son, Kane, club captain.
After dismissing Jamie Watt and Roy McBain in January, Josh Winton and Lawson were appointed until the end of the season, and Winton senior says the future is still to be discussed.
He said: “There will be a discussion to be had about the future – they’ll probably be wanting more money now!
“We separate family life and football life, but on Saturday to win the cup with a son as co-manager and the other son as captain, it’s pretty satisfying.
“We’ve learned a lot this season. The standard of football is much better, we’ve been going to grounds we haven’t visited before and coming up against players we haven’t played before.
“There’s still a couple of games to go, but, overall, winning the cup is the end to a great season.”
Dee’s efforts rewarded
Banks o’ Dee’s triumph over Inverurie Locos at the weekend meant they became the first team to win the Highland League Cup – which goes back to 1946 – in their first season in the Highland League.
What also pleased Winton was a number of the victorious squad came through the Spain Park youth ranks.
He added: “I was looking back things prior to the final and the Highland League Cup is a trophy I never thought in my lifetime we’d have the chance to compete in, never mind win.
“I was looking back at Scottish Cup wins and things we won in the Juniors.
“But to come into the Highland League and win the cup in our first year – something nobody else has done – tells you it’s a pretty big achievement.
“A lot of our players have been with the club since they were six or seven years old.
“To see them actually achieving this in their 20s is great – I’ve always been a believer in youth football and developing players.
“To see the fruits of that labour with players coming through is really good.”
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