When you hear Deveronvale’s centre-forward speaking with an Australian accent, you’d be forgiven for not realising his grandfather is an Aberdeen Football Club legend.
Ben Hermiston, 18, was signed from Montrose as part of recently-appointed Vale boss Garry Wood’s summer rebuild, and is the grandson of Dons 1970 Scottish Cup winner Jim Hermiston.
Hermiston senior, a member of the Pittodrie hall of fame, emigrated Down Under in 1976.
Having grown up in the Southern Hemisphere, Ben has been in Scotland since 2022, when he joined the League One Mighty Mo’s youth academy, before going on to make 16 first-team appearances and score two goals for the Links Park side.
Shortly after netting in Montrose’s Premier Sports Cup group loss to Championship Partick Thistle last month, Hermiston completed a switch to the Breedon Highland League Banffers in pursuit of more game time.
He has made a sparkling start in their opening four league matches – with his first goal for his new club coming in a 1-1 draw against Fraserburgh at Bellslea.
Hermiston hopes his time with the Vale can be a springboard to full-time level, saying: “It’s been good so far. I’ve helped the team as much as I can.
“It’s probably goals I’m looking for more of now – because I’ve only got one so far in the season, so hopefully, starting this Saturday, I can get more.
“But I’ve been happy with how I’ve been playing, and the coaching staff have been happy with how I’ve been going – and the team’s been doing well.
“I think we can definitely push way higher up in the table from where they’ve been in the last few years.
“With the lads we have – a young youthful squad – we’ve shown in the first few games we can match it with some of the best teams in the league.”
Living in Aberdeen, Hermiston has had “plenty” of conversations about his former Don grandad, saying: “It comes up all of the time – definitely from older lads.
“I’m really close with my grandad, who is still living over in Australia now.
“Everyone tells me how brilliant he was.
“He’s got all these medals and stuff still with him, and there have been plenty of stories he’s told me.
“I’m good friends with Joe Harper and some of those Aberdeen legends – he (Harper) is brilliant.”
On Saturday, the Vale – who picked up their first win of the league season at Wick Academy last weekend – host Strathspey Thistle at Princess Royal Park
The Grantown Jags were already an unknown quantity to Hermiston, but now even more so after the early strugglers made the call to replace management duo Bobby Beckwith and Ronnie Sharp with new manager and player-coach – former Caley Thistle coach Ryan Esson and ex-Inverness winger Aaron Doran – in midweek.
Hermiston said: “From what I’ve experienced so far, there’s no team you can take lightly in this league, and every team is physical and on you all the time.
“But I’m looking forward to it.”
As he looks to add to his goal tally, Hermiston could come up against goalkeeper Euan Storrier – who has joined Strathspey on loan from Buckie Thistle.
‘We’ve got to go into every game confident’ – Banks o’ Dee keeper ahead of Inverurie Locos visit
Goalkeeper Daniel Hoban is aiming to build on Banks o’ Dee’s encouraging start to the new Breedon Highland League campaign when they host Inverurie Locos.
Dee have taken 10 points from a possible 12 so far, and were 4-0 winners against Nairn County in their last league fixture.
After running League Two side Elgin City close in their 2-1 SPFL Trust Trophy defeat in midweek, Hoban feels Dee have looked strong.
Hoban said: “It’s still early days at the start of the league season, but it’s a good start.
“The boys put a lot effort in against Elgin. The first half showed that we can compete – we caused them lots of problems.
“We just want to keep on building on that to see where we can take it.
“The Nairn game shows what we are capable of. We know every week is not going to be like that, but we are hoping to go out and prove ourselves every week.
“It’s not an easy league, but we’ve got to go into every game feeling confident, no matter who we are up against.
“There are always going to be challenges on the side that we need to problem-solve.”
Hoban, who joined Dee from Elgin last season, has been impressed with the way co-managers Paul Lawson and Josh Winton have signalled the Aberdeen outfit’s intent – with many people tipping them as Highland League frontrunners this season.
The keeper added: “Since walking in the door, there has always been ambition around it. That’s what attracted me to the club.
“This season is no different.”
Locos have three wins from their four outings.
Among the Railwaymen’s results have been a 2-1 victory against reigning champions Buckie Thistle, though they went down 2-0 at last term’s runners-up Brechin City.
Inverurie boss Dean Donaldson thinks the Spain Park meeting with Dee is another good test for his young players, rather than a measure of Locos’ own title credentials.
He said: “Against Brechin we were missing a few boys. We had a full squad against Buckie.
“It’ll be another tough ask. I think Banks o’ Dee are favourites for the league – If they’re not, they’re definitely up there.
“But I think it’s good for our boys to go and test themselves against the best.
“I never put any pressure on the boys, because we’re still a work in progress, and the likes of Brechin, Buckie and Banks o’ Dee are spending big money on big players to go and win the league. That’s their objective – while we’re just trying to progress and for the youngers players to get to that point.
“We’re still a fair bit away, in my opinion.”
Dee will be missing Jevan Anderson, Kyle Willox and Lachie MacLeod, while Cole Anderson and Daniel Agnew will return for Locos.
Team news from around the Highland League
Breedon Highland League perfect-starters Brora Rangers are at Lossiemouth on Saturday, and will travel without Alex Cooper.
Brechin, meanwhile, host Huntly. Ryan Ferguson is the only player out for the Hedgemen, but Huntly will be missing Michael Clark, Fraser Hobday, Alex Thoirs, Jamie Michie, Lewis Crosbie, Joel Gauld and Ryan Sewell, with Ross Still suspended.
Buckie welcome Wick. Darryl McHardy is back for the Jags after suspension, with Liam Harvey returning following work commitments last weekend, while young keeper Harvey Fitzgerald will take Storrier’s place on the bench. Wick won’t have long-term absentees Mark Macadie and Matthew Aitkenhead, with Marc MacGregor and George Ewing also out.
Fraserburgh go to Clachnacuddin without injured trio Lewis Davidson, Ross Aitken and Andy Reid. Clach have a full squad.
For Formartine United, Marc Lawrence returns, but Paul Campbell faces a late fitness test and Matthew McLean is suspended, as Forres Mechanics visit North Lodge Park. The Can-Cans will be without Shaun Morrison and Andrew Skinner.
Turriff United are still missing Murray Cormack as they head to Keith, with the Maroons without Ryan Robertson, Murray Addison and Jake Stewart.
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