Friends will become foes tonight as Banks o’ Dee co-manager Paul Lawson and Deveronvale player-boss Garry Wood battle for three points and workplace bragging rights.
Dee, who have taken 14 points from their first eight Breedon Highland League fixtures, and the Banffers – who are on eight points – clash at Spain Park this evening (7.30pm).
This will be the first time Lawson and Wood have pitted their wits against each other in the dugout, but the duo go back a long way.
They were team-mates at Ross County between 2009 and 2011 and linked up again at Formartine United from 2015-2021, with Lawson manager at North Lodge Park from 2017 onwards.
Their paths crossed against last season with Wood signing for Banks o’ Dee last October before leaving in May to become Deveronvale manager.
Away from football they also work together and Wood said: “I’ve got a lot of people I know in the Highland League and a lot my ex-team-mates are managers now.
“It’s almost every second week you come up against one of them, it’s nothing new with both teams looking to get three points.
‘Like any other game’ as Dee face Deveronvale
“We’re just treating it like any other game and I’m hoping to get three points for Deveronvale.
“We work for the same company but the chat hasn’t been any different to normal this week.
“We’ll be professional and hopefully come full-time I manage to get the bragging rights.
“Some of the time you can’t help but bump into each other at work, but I’ll make a point of bumping into Paul next week if we get a good result!”
Lawson said: “Garry took the decision to go for the job, I felt he still had more to offer at Banks o’ Dee as a player.
“But he went for that and we wished him all the best. It will be good to lock horns – as long as we come out on top!
“We’ve spoken to each other this week and it’s great to see him going into Deveronvale and taking the job.
“But I’m hoping it’s us that take the three points.”
Aberdeen side aim to push on
Banks o’ Dee are eight points behind league leaders Brechin City, but Lawson is hoping they can start to build some momentum after beating Wick Academy 6-1 last weekend.
He said: “It was important to win last weekend. It’s the same with this game, we need to try to pick up maximum points and put a run together.
“If you want to be up the top challenging you certainly have to take care of your home games.”
Deveronvale have lost their last four games in all competitions to Aberdeen, Buckie Thistle, Brechin City and Clachnacuddin.
But Wood has seen good signs and added: “In terms of the performances it’s been relatively positive, except for the Buckie game (7-1 defeat).
“We’re still a work in progress and nothing’s going to change overnight, but we need to keep working to try to improve where we can.”
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