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Culter FC president keen to build momentum after memorable campaign

Gordon Thomson discusses Crombie Park club's long-term aspirations and their upcoming Scottish Cup return.

Culter FC president Gordon Thomson with the club's management team. Image: CB Duff Photography.
Culter FC president Gordon Thomson with the club's management team. Image: CB Duff Photography.

Culter president Gordon Thomson says the club is determined to build on a historic season.

The Crombie Park side claimed a clean sweep of the North Region Junior Football Association trophies, winning the McBookie.com Premier League, the North Regional Cup, the Grill Cup and the McLeman Cup.

Thomson says work is already well under way to ensure Lee Youngson’s team is in a strong position to defend their trophies next term.

He said: “We were absolutely delighted with the season.

“We hadn’t won anything since 2014 when we lost 10 players and our management team and we knew it would take a few years to get back.

“Unfortunately football was affected for a couple of years due to Covid 19 and Banks o’ Dee had an excellent team for four to five years before they moved up to the Highland League.

“It has been great to get back in the trophies again.

“There were three or four teams who could have stepped up. Hermes, Dyce and Bridge of Don Thistle are all good clubs, capable of beating each other and ourselves.

“Our players showed the consistency to keep going throughout the season.

“If you win something you have to build on it, you can’t sit back and rest on your laurels.

“We’ve signed Jack Henderson who has been a prolific goalscorer with Banks o’ Dee. He was very close to signing for us seven years ago before he went to Banks o’ Dee. He is a good age at 28 and he will bring a lot to our team.

“Craig MacAskill, who we’ve had on loan from Banks o’ Dee for the last four or five months, has signed an 18-month contract. He’s been very good for us.

“Elliot Duff, a former Culter striker, has also returned to the club after a year working away in England. All three will be a big asset to the club.”

Culter have won a clean sweep of trophies this season. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

Scottish Cup excitement

Culter’s title success means they will represent the NRJFA in the Scottish Cup next season.

The junior side almost recorded a major Scottish Cup upset in 2011 when they drew 1-1 with a Partick Thistle side managed by Jackie McNamara before losing 4-0 in the replay at Firhill.

Thomson said: “Getting into the Scottish Cup brings back great memories, particularly the Partick Thistle game when the village was just buzzing – before and after the match.

“I have never seen the village like that with the football.

“There are more teams now and more preliminary rounds now than there were 10 years ago.

“If we were to get as far as the third round it would be a major achievement for a club like Culter.”

No rush to move up the pyramid

Despite their dominance this season, Culter are in no rush to follow Banks o’ Dee into the Highland League.

Thomson said: “Financially we are not ready for it.

“It would be a big step up. It took Banks o’ Dee six or seven years to get ready.

“It would cost the club a minimum of £120,000 to get an SFA club licence which you require and that would involve things such as installing floodlights, upgrading dressing rooms and improving disabled facilities.

“Then it would be a question of whether the players and the committee are up for it with the travelling costs.

“It would be a huge step up so for the time-being we will enjoy ourselves in the juniors.

“There are one or two clubs who are looking at moving up to the Highland League.

“I think our friends at Dyce are the closest to it. They have been building up their club. They have put in floodlights and they are away to put in a stand.

“To get up you need to win the league first and that is the hardest part.

“If we get more success we might have the hunger to do it but that would be more of a longer term plan.”

Culter celebrate after scoring against Rothie Rovers in the North Regional Cup final. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson.

Thomson grew up a mere 200m from Crombie Park and was a ballboy in the mid-1960s before going on captain the team for six years until he started working offshore and abroad.

Former club presidents Eric Duncan and Doug Jamieson approached Thomson 12 years ago and asked him to return as club president.

He added: “It is the first time we have won the clean sweep of North Regional trophies so it’s a great achievement.

“Our management team have put in an incredible amount of work.

“I am fully aware that it will be very difficult to repeat this success next season and the majority of the clubs – in particular Hermes, Dyce, Bridge of Don Thistle and Stonehaven – will be trying to knock us off our perch.

“However we have an excellent bunch of lads with good work ethic and I know we will be up for the challenge.”

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