Club secretary David Pirie played his first game for Buckie Thistle in 40 YEARS to help out the Jags’ under-21s side in their hour of need earlier this week.
A combination of injuries and late call-offs left Thistle with just 10 players for Monday night’s Aberdeenshire League clash with Keith at Kynoch Park.
But Pirie, 65 – who helps Baz Aitchison and Graham Hutcheson manage the Buckie U21s – stepped into the breach to play as an overage player and ensure the Jags had a full complement.
During his career Pirie played as a striker in the Breedon Highland League with Buckie (in two spells) and Deveronvale. He also turned out for Ellon United, Turriff United and Deveronside in the Juniors, before playing for Cullen in the Moray Welfare League.
His last game for the Victoria Park-based Buckie was in the early-80s.
‘I tried to make a nuisance of myself’
Reflecting on playing the full 90 minutes in what was ultimately an 11-0 loss for Buckie’s youngsters against the Maroons, Pirie said: “We had a few boys injured and with a first-team game on Wednesday there weren’t many of them available.
“With call-offs, we were left with 10 boys, which included four U16s and two U17s, and Baz, Graham and I agreed we’d be better with 11 than 10.
“Baz played in a charity game last week and said he was goosed, Graham said his knee was knackered and I said so was mine.
“But between the two of us his was worse than mine, so I played.
“Shaun Wood and John McLeod from the first-team came and played.
“John said he would play number 10 and I could play up front.
“So I ran about and tried to make a nuisance of myself – I was always thinking somebody would appear and I’d get taken off!
“But I played the full game.
“There were a couple of Keith’s first-team boys involved and I had a good craic with them.
“My legs were actually better than I thought they would be on Tuesday morning, although I had a few bumps and bruises.
“Obviously we weren’t wanting this to happen, but when I was on the park I tried to pass on a few messages and help the young boys.
“From that point of view it was enjoyable and, to be fair to them, in a difficult game they stuck to their task really well.
“Some of aren’t particularly big yet, so it was hard for them, but they stuck at it.”
More input required to make success of Buckie’s youth programme
Buckie restarted their U21 team this season to help improve the pathway through to the first-team.
Pirie says greater participation from both players and volunteers is required as the Jags strive to improve their youth development programme.
He added: “It highlights the need for greater participation. We also need more coaches and volunteers to take teams.
“We’ve got our primary section, which is going well. Then in the youth development there are U14s, U16s and U18s, but we’ve only got U16s this season – although the U14s are playing some games.
“You need coaches and volunteers to help push the thing along, so that there could be a line from primary section all the way to the first-team.
“We’ve also got Elgin City and Deveronvale to either side of us, who both have very good youth sections and we lose players to them.
“We’ve also lost players to Ross County’s youth academy in the past.
“If you lose players and struggle to get a decent team together and you’re getting beat, a lot players aren’t so interested and it’s harder to maintain.
“The youth development does take a long time to build up, but we’re always hopeful and we’ll keep working at it.”
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