Kieran Simpson hopes last season’s near miss can spur Fraserburgh to glory this term in the R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup.
The Broch tackle Banks o’ Dee on Friday night at Bellslea in the semi-final of the competition.
It’s a tournament that the Buchan club have found hard to win, with their only successes in the Highland League Cup coming in 1959 and 2006.
Last year Fraserburgh were defeated 5-4 on penalties by Brora Rangers in the final following a 1-1 draw and that bad memory still lingers for Simpson.
Since making his debut in 2018, the 24-year-old centre-half has helped the Broch win six trophies, but not the League Cup.
Simpson said: “When you’re at Fraserburgh you’re expected to win games and win trophies.
“We take that expectation on board and last season was disappointing because we didn’t manage to win a trophy.
“But the only way to move on from that and to try to make up for it is to get back to finals and try to win more trophies.
“Last season’s final was disappointing because we were really good in the first half.
“But then in the second half it switched completely and we were quite poor.
“I think there was a feeling we threw it away a bit and to lose on penalties is probably the harshest way to lose.
“I think there’s plenty of folk who are still gutted about that now.
“The final last year isn’t something we still speak about, but it’s still there in the memory bank.
“It’s a negative thing to look back on, but it’s something we have to use as motivation for this season and hopefully we can do that.”
Simpson seeking missing medal
Simpson is one of a number of players in the Fraserburgh squad who have won the Breedon Highland League, Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup and Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield, but have yet to lift the Highland League Cup.
He’s eager to try to complete his medal collection and also end the Broch’s 19-year wait for success in this tournament.
Simpson added: “It’s no secret we want to win this cup.
“You want to win any cup, but for a lot of us at Fraserburgh the Highland League Cup is the one that’s evaded us.
“Winning any trophy means a lot, especially at Fraserburgh because it’s a family club and a community club so you see what it means to people any time you win something.
“But with Highland League Cup wins being quite few and far between it maybe would be that little bit more special for the club.
“Personally it would be nice to complete the set of medals – but even if we managed that we’d be wanting to win more and more.
“However, all we can focus on just now is trying to get through this semi-final before we think about anything else and we know it will be a really tough game against Banks o’ Dee.”
Dee-mand for success suits Hunter
Andy Hunter has relished the expectation for success at Banks o’ Dee this season as they bid to continue their quest for a cup double.
The Aberdeen side face Fraserburgh at Bellslea in the semi-final of the R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup on Friday night having already lifted the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup this term.
Dee are also sitting third in the Breedon Highland League and striker Hunter says he joined the club to be involved in games like this.
The 31-year-old signed for the Spain Park outfit last summer with the ambition of winning silverware.
Hunter said: “At Banks o’ Dee competing in the latter stages of competitions and trying to win them is what’s expected.
“We’ve already been successful in the Aberdeenshire Cup this season and with the way the league is sitting this could be our last chance of another trophy this season.
“So that makes this game even more important.
“The aim at Banks o’ Dee is to compete in every competition and it’s one of the reasons why I came to the club.
“We’ve done well this season and I’ve enjoyed being part of that.
“So we need to try to get through to give ourselves another shot at a trophy.
“But on the flip side Fraserburgh will be thinking exactly the same and will be backing themselves as well.
“Facing Fraserburgh at Bellslea is one of the toughest challenges at our level.”
League Cup target
During his career in the Highland League, Hunter has won the Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield twice with Inverurie Locos and the Shire Cup this season with Dee.
But a Highland League Cup winners’ medal is still missing from his collection.
Hunter added: “Personally having never won the Highland League Cup it would be really good to win it and it’s a big goal of mine.
“I came to Banks o’ Dee to challenge for cups and the league and personally this competition is one I’d really like to win.”
Hunter believes one of Dee’s strengths is the depth in their squad with competition for places ensuring standards remain high.
Throughout the season he has been vying with the likes of Lachie MacLeod and Liam Duell for a regular berth up front.
With crunch games to come in this tournament as well as the league, Hunter said: “We’re coming into the run-in and right across the squad, and especially in the forward areas, we’ve got a lot of competition for places.
“That pushes everyone on, when there’s a run of games coming thick and fast you want to have a squad that demands high standards and if someone isn’t firing then it’s good having other options that can come in.”
Nairn County bolster squad by signing ex-ICT player
Nairn County interim boss Brian Macleod believes new signing Calum Mackay can be a major asset over the closing stretch of the campaign.
The 19-year-old, who left Caley Thistle earlier this month, has joined Nairn on a deal until the end of the season.
Mackay, who spent time on loan at Nairn last season, was named on the bench as a trialist for Elgin City in their 2-1 loss against Edinburgh City last weekend.
Nairn boss Macleod is delighted to have landed the attacking midfielder on a short-term deal.
He said: “We are pleased to get Calum in until the end of the season.
“He is someone we have been chasing for a few weeks now since he left Inverness.
“We have had to be patient but we managed to get it done in the end and we are pleased he will be joining us.
“The good thing with Calum is he can play in a number of positions.
“He can play off both sides, as a 10 and in midfield so he gives us that flexibility and options in the front area.
“We know him well as he was on loan with us for the second half of the season.
“When he was on loan, he contributed a lot of assists and a few goals. We know what he can bring and how well he will fit in with the group of players.
“I got in touch with him when he left Caley Thistle and he came in and trained with us for about a week and a half.
“He was exploring all his options which he was well within his rights to do.
“We have kept in touch and we left the door open for him so we’re pleased he has decided to commit to us until the end of the season.
“It gives him the chance to play football which I don’t think he was able to do a lot of in the first half of the season and then he can decide in the summer what he wants to do in the longer term.”
Available to face Jags
Mackay will be in the squad for this weekend’s home game against last season’s league champions Buckie Thistle.
Macleod added: “He will go straight in the squad for the Buckie game.
“He has trained with us and he looks fit and sharp.
“He was a trialist for Elgin last Saturday and was training with them as well so he is ready to go.
“He is a very fit lad so he will be available this weekend.”
Nairn captain Fraser Dingwall, meanwhile, is unlikely to feature against Buckie after sustaining a hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw with Strathspey Thistle last weekend.
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