Ben Mackay believes Brora Rangers have shown their potential to be an SPFL club as they chase more success following their Breedon Highland League title triumph.
The Cattachs secured their fifth championship crown at the weekend and also won the North of Scotland Cup in October – but still have plenty more to play for this term.
This weekend, Brora tackle Fraserburgh at Grant Street Park in the final of the R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup and, after that, they will face Lowland League champions East Kilbride over two legs in the pyramid play-offs.
The winner of the tie will take on League Two’s bottom club for a place in the SPFL next season.
Mackay, who is Brora’s benefactor, hopes there’s more success to come in the weeks ahead – and was keen to stress the Sutherland side do want to be promoted.
Reflecting on winning the league and looking towards the play-offs, the 62-year-old said: “It’s phenomenal winning the league. It’s unbelievable for the village.
“There’s lots of rumours and stories – but Brora Rangers go into every game looking to win.
“We’re looking to beat East Kilbride – it won’t be easy and I’m not saying we will do it, but we’re looking to beat them.
“If we do that, then we’ll be looking to win the next tie and get promoted.
“I want the club to be promoted and I think you saw potential of the club on Saturday with the crowd we had at the game.
“There is a gap in the far north for a League Two club I think – Elgin are the furthest north at the moment – but I’d love us to do it.”
Cattachs chasing history
Mackay was born and bred in Brora and has been heavily involved in the football club since 2012.
Since then the Cattachs have won all five of their Highland League titles, seven North of Scotland Cups and the Highland League Cup three times.
Despite all that success, Brora haven’t won all three tournaments in the same season before. But they have the chance to change that this weekend.
Mackay added: “We’ve never won the treble, although right now we do hold all three trophies after winning the Highland League Cup last year.
“I made sure I got a photo with all three of them on Saturday before John Campbell (Highland League secretary) went away with the Highland League Cup.
“It would be great to do the treble, but let’s be clear, Fraserburgh are a very good side.
“Both games this season have been cracking and both could have gone either way. I’ve got the greatest respect for Fraserburgh as a club.
“But it would be unbelievable for everyone connected with Brora if we could win the treble.
“Last summer we lost seven or eight guys that had won trophies for the club and we lost our management team.
“We’ve taken in a new management team and a new team on the pitch, so to win the treble in what was meant to be a transitional year would be incredible.”
Manager’s return was right move
The change of management Mackay refers to came at the end of last season when Ally MacDonald stepped down and Brora brought Steven Mackay back for a second stint as manager.
He was previously in charge from 2018 to 2021, when he guided the Cattachs to two Highland League titles and a North of Scotland Cup.
Explaining why it was right decision to bring Steven Mackay back to Dudgeon Park, Ben Mackay said: “We had a conversation, and within 30 seconds of that conversation starting, Steven wanted the job and I wanted to give it to him.
“Sometimes you just know and I knew that bringing him back was the right move.
“I knew he’d win us more titles. I maybe didn’t expect it as quickly as this – but I knew he would do it.”
Bunce nervous because he won’t get final say
Connor Bunce admits he’ll be a bag of nerves as Brora Rangers go for the treble – because he won’t be able to contribute.
The Cattachs won the Breedon Highland League title on Saturday and have also lifted the North of Scotland Cup this season.
This weekend they will attempt to win a treble for the first time in their history when they take on Fraserburgh at Grant Street Park in the R (Davidson) Banchory Highland League Cup final.
Attacker Bunce joined Brora in November and is cup-tied having featured for Clachnacuddin earlier in the competition.
The 23-year-old revealed he doesn’t enjoy watching from the sidelines – but is backing his team-mates to get the job done.
Bunce said: “I’m cup-tied, but hopefully the boys can do it. It would be absolutely incredible to win the treble and it’s something the club hasn’t done before.
“I’ll be asking for a medal if we win it!
“There’s lots of talent all the way through the squad and the boys have enough talent to win it.
“I find it really difficult watching. You see things very differently from the side compared with on the pitch.
“Even when we get shown clips of games, I think: ‘Why did I not just do that?’ You see the game completely differently and I’m a nervous wreck watching from the side.”
Ups, downs and last day glory
Bunce was thrilled to help Brora win the Highland League at the weekend and believes the demand for success at Dudgeon Park has brought the best out of him.
He added: “I’m absolutely delighted. There have been so many ups and downs this season and to win it on the last day on goal difference was brilliant.
“The situation here is different to anything I’ve experienced before.
“At Brora, every single loss is the end of the world, but in a good way in terms of what it gets out of you as a player.
“It makes you a better player. I’ve only been here half a season, but the demands at Brora have unlocked different parts of my game.”
Forres departures
Meanwhile, Forres Mechanics have announced Calum Howarth, Cameron Farquhar and Liam Grant are to step away from Highland League football for personal reasons.
Defender Howarth was with the Can-Cans between 2016 and 2020 and returned to Mosset Park two years ago after a stint with Nairn.
Goalkeeper Farquhar and defender Grant both joined Forres this season and helped them to finish 10th.
New dad Dingwall on retirement
Inverurie Locos’ Calum Dingwall says he looks back fondly on his career after becoming a dad led to him hanging up his boots.
The 32-year-old’s final game in the Breedon Highland League was on Saturday as the Railwaymen ended the season with a 2-1 win against Wick Academy at Harlaw Park.
Dingwall started out as a youth player with Inverness Caledonian Thistle before joining Formartine United in 2012. After seven years with the Pitmedden club he moved to Inverurie in 2019.
Originally a midfielder, Dingwall has been playing more in defence in recent times, and revealed he decided to retire when wife Joanna fell pregnant with their first child, a son, who was born last Wednesday.
Dingwall said: “For the last few years I’ve kind of just been taking it season by season anyway.
“This season I was thinking it was maybe time to stop playing and then we got the fantastic news about Joanna being pregnant and that made my mind up.
“I’ve really enjoyed this season. It’s been a good season (with Inverurie finishing fourth) and I think the boys can kick on again next season.
“I think we’ve shown we’re progressing, there’s a great bunch of lads at Inverurie and there’s a good mix of youth and experience.
“Everything is there for them to challenge in the seasons ahead.
“But everyone’s got to stop playing at some point and this is the time for me.”
Cup success stands out
During Dingwall’s time at Formartine they won the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup in 2013 and 2017, the R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup in 2018 and the Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield the following year.
Meanwhile, with Inverurie, Dingwall got his hands on the Aberdeenshire Cup again as Locos won it for the first time last season.
He added: “I’m really happy with the career I’ve had and look back on it fondly.
“I was at Formartine for quite a few years and there was a great bunch of lads there.
“The one disappointment was not managing to win the league. We lost it on the last day to Cove in 2013, then in 2016 we were close and finished second to Cove again.
“But I’ve been lucky to win cups at Formartine and Inverurie, which has been great.
“They are major highlights – last year’s especially, because I knew I was coming towards the end of my career and Inverurie also hadn’t won a trophy for a while.
“During my time in the Highland League I think I’ve played just about every position as well.
“I’ve never been too fussed about where I played as long as I was getting to play, and it’s been good to get to play a variety of positions.”
500 up for Buckie’s Thain
Buckie Thistle’s game against Keith at the weekend marked a major milestone for Easton Thain, who produced his 500th programme for the Jags.
Thain produced his first programme for a match against Elgin City on February 6, 1993, and has continued as the Victoria Park club’s programme editor ever since.
The 59-year-old, who is also Buckie’s club historian, said: “It’s fantastic to have done 500 programmes.
“When I did the first one in February 1993, did I think I’d still be doing it 33 years later? No – I’ve always tried to keep it going, but I could never have foreseen doing 500.
“There’s been plenty of midnight oil burnt over the years. I did an estimate at the weekend and I think in terms of the hours, it’s taken it must be about 5,000 hours.
“The programmes take slightly less time nowadays because I receive more contributions to it than in the past, and also because the technology we’re able to use now speeds things up.
“But even the programme for Saturday took six or seven hours.
Great support
“The various people who have been at the club over the years have always supported me in doing programmes and I can’t thank them enough for that because they could easily have said no.
“I’d also like to thank the people who have contributed and helped to produce the programmes over the years, the people that have sold them and the people that have bought them.
“It’s never been for every game, and since I moved to Inverness for work in 2015, there have been fewer because I haven’t had as much time to produce them.
“But I’ve always tried to do them for Scottish Cup ties, testimonials and big games in the league or cups.
“I’d like to keep it going as long as I can.”
Conversation