Defender Millar Gamble switched from high-flying Brora Rangers to toiling Clachnacuddin this week – but the loan defender is relishing the challenge.
The 21-year-old former Scotland schoolboy international’s future is at Brora secure, after he signed a deal until 2027 with Ally MacDonald’s Cattachs earlier this month.
Having that security was stage one for the talented centre-back, but to further flourish, it was felt a loan switch within the Highland League was the best move.
On Wednesday, the former Caley Thistle youth player agreed a temporary move to Clach and was pitched in for a debut hours later as the Lilywhites were edged out 1-0 at home to in-form Nairn County.
Explaining why he thinks his loan from Dudgeon Park to Grant Street Park can benefit all parties, Gamble said: “Brora wanted me to go out and get regular minutes for my development.
“That suited me as well – no-one wants to be sitting on the bench, you want to be playing.
“The management team here at Clach were very keen to get me in. There is a good group of boys who are honest and hard-working. That was something I wanted to be a part of.
“I knew a lot of the boys at Clach, having played against them and being in the Inverness area. That was another reason I wanted to come here.”
Gamble keen to learn from Gethins
Conor Gethins recently stepped into the role as Clach manager after leaving Nairn, and Gamble is looking forward to working under the ex-Ross County and Peterhead attacker.We are pleased to announce the loan signing of defender Millar Gamble from @brorarangers.
Millar will go straight in to tonight's squad for our match against Nairn, subject to SFA clearance.
Welcome to Grant Street Park Millar. pic.twitter.com/20bKlVDRbM— Inverness Clachnacuddin FC (@clachfc) November 22, 2023
He said: “The manager demands hard work and that’s what I’m all about.
“I’m also an honest player and Conor wants us all to work hard and he was another big draw for me to come here.
“The good thing is he wants us to play good football.
“First and foremost, it’s about defending and winning our individual battles, but after that, we want to get the ball down and play.”
‘We’re just missing a bit of a spark’
Clach, who are second bottom of the Highland League, have yet to win a league game this season, and they sit just one place above Strathspey Thistle, who have two games in hand on them.
Although it is a concerning position, Gamble is confident the Lilywhites can soon find that winning feeling to push away from their lowly placing.
He added: “We’re at Lossiemouth this weekend, and I feel, as a side, we just need to try and get that first win.
“We’re missing just a little bit of a spark, but I’m sure if we can get that first win, we will be absolutely fine.
“You can see we’ve got quality. There are a lot of talented players in this squad.
“It’s just about everything coming together and maybe getting a little bit of the rub of the green at times, and results will come.”
Clach were defensively strong against Nairn – Gamble
Looking back at the narrow midweek loss against Nairn, which was decided by a first-half Callum Maclean strike, Gamble took heart from Clach’s defensive display.
He said: “In the first half, we were playing into the wind. It was strong and it was difficult to get out at times. We dealt with it well and limited the chances Nairn had.
“We were 1-0 down at half-time and felt we still had a chance in the second half.
“It didn’t quite happen for us – but we did create chances.
“I thought overall we were solid at the back.
“I can see a lot of good things for us to work from going forward. There are a lot of positives.
“It’s not going to take much for it to click.”
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