North Caledonian League winners Invergordon are stepping up their efforts to prepare for a future tilt at achieving promotion to the Highland League.
Invergordon were last weekend crowned champions for the second successive year – after a resounding 6-0 triumph over Thurso put them out of reach of second-placed Halkirk United.
Due to not having a Scottish FA licence, Invergordon will not be able to compete in the promotion play-offs, although they will enter the preliminary round of next season’s Scottish Cup.
However, moves are afoot to upgrade their Recreation Grounds facilities, with planning permission last week granted for the erection of a boundary fence and demountable stand, along with the installation of floodlights.
Manager Gary Campbell hopes the ambitious Easter Ross outfit can put themselves into a position to push for promotion next term.
Planning permission granted
Campbell said: “We have got planning permission in, which will give us the possibility that if we win the league again, we would have the possibility to go on to a play-off.
“We have been in the process of trying to get planning permission through for a long time.
“We had hoped it would have been through in time for us to start work and possibly go for the play-off this year, but unfortunately that hasn’t been successful.
“The club needs to be ready on and off the park to do that – and make sure everything is correct.
“That would be the long-term ambition.
“The plans we have put forward to develop the area can only be good for the locals and youngsters in the area.
“It has all been positive – everyone is for it – and hopefully it will all come to fruition once we start building our facilities.”
Maintaining on-field success holds key for Invergordon
Invergordon have enjoyed an excellent campaign, in which they have suffered just one league defeat so far.
Their title triumph continues a trend of recent success, with Invergordon having won three of the last four league titles.
While work to progress the club off the field continues, Campbell insists it is crucial for Invergordon to maintain success on the park in the meantime.
He added: “We are on a good spell. We just need to keep on going, and plugging away the best we can to see where that brings us.
“If we don’t win the league, it doesn’t even give us the opportunity to go into a play-off.
“All we can do on the park is try to keep on winning.”
MacDonald savours latest triumph
Among Invergordon’s most experienced campaigners is defender Ally MacDonald, who joined at the start of the season following a long spell with Brora Rangers – latterly as player-manager.
The title triumph took the defender full circle, having won the North Caledonian League with Balintore in his first men’s season in 2006.
Following a trophy-laden stint with Brora, MacDonald says his latest success took on a different significance.
The 36-year-old said: “This one was different because I know I’m getting to the end of my playing days – I wasn’t sure if I was going to go again, after being at Brora.
“Management was a tricky year with the way the league went and what we had to deal with, and the unknown expectation of that side of things.
“Personal life takes its toll as well, so being able to switch off from that side and focus again on playing was great.
“That environment, where you’ve got the pressure of winning, is where I want to be.
“That was the script at Invergordon as well. It was obviously a league down, but it still came with that pressure week-in, week-out.
“My concern of dropping down to the North Caledonian League was something I have seen before – it’s not a paid league, and I have seen teams who are missing loads of players one week, and they don’t know what sort of team they will have.
“To be fair to everyone at Invergordon, it’s full commitment like every environment I have been in.”
Invergordon ambition clear
Having spent the bulk of his career in the Highland League, MacDonald believes Invergordon are fast assembling a structure befitting of the step up.
He added: “I love to see anyone with ambition try to kick on.
“Invergordon have maybe recognised an opportunity for themselves to do that.
“It came maybe a bit too late this year to really have things in place to make a push to get into a play-off.
“But they are gearing up towards it – they have a team in place that are aware of the levels and demands of what it takes to be a Highland League team.
“I’m sure when the time comes, they will be ready for it.
“It’s exciting for the area. There seems to be a little bit of a different buzz around the place now, and it will be exciting to see it come together.”
Conversation