Wick confidence is high after opening win, says captain Macadie
Captain Richard Macadie is hoping Wick Academy can build on their superb opening-day result when they travel to Huntly this weekend for their first away fixture of the 2024/25 Highland League campaign.
The Scorries were 2-0 winners against Fraserburgh at Harmsworth Park on Saturday, thanks to goals from Gary Pullen and Ross Gunn. It was the first time since 2016 they had started a season by collecting all three points.
Eight of Academy’s 10 league victories last term came at home, so improved results on their travels will be a priority.
“We struggled away last season but confidence is high after Saturday,” Macadie said. “There was a bit of a buzz about it. There’s no reason why we can’t go down there and do it.
“It’ll still be a tough game – it’ll be just as tough as it was on Saturday.”

Manager Gary Manson has been emphasising the value of having a strong squad that allows changes to be made during games without affecting the quality on the pitch.
Macadie said: “When five subs first came in, it probably hampered us because we didn’t have the quality other teams had sitting on the bench squad-wise. It’s definitely an advantage if you’ve got the quality to come off the bench.
“You could go and change your entire midfield at once and still have a spare sub. It could totally change the game.
“In a game like that [against Fraserburgh], where you’ve put so much into it, to be able to take Marc Macgregor off after putting in a big shift and put Davie Allan up front, it gives you a different dynamic but it’s still as effective.”
Huntly finished seventh in the table last season, five places higher than Wick. Striker Andy Hunter, who has caused plenty of problems for Academy in previous seasons, left the Black and Golds during the summer to join Banks O’ Dee.
Macadie said: “Huntly had a good win at the weekend too [5-0 against Strathspey Thistle]. They got an early goal and that sets the tone.
“They were good at the start of last season. They’ve lost their main man but I don’t know much about their squad.”
Macadie is in his 20th season with Academy and is the club’s record scorer, with 204 goals in 628 competitive appearances. The 37-year-old midfielder has had to work his way back from injuries to both knees.
“I feel fit and I was back playing at number 10 on Saturday whereas last season it was a deeper-lying role,” he said. “If I can just add a couple of goals now and kick on from there, it’ll be fine.”
Macadie will have a trip to Austria later this month to play in the UEFA Futsal Champions League preliminary round group stages for Aberdeen Futsal Academy.
Futsal is a FIFA-recognised form of small-sided indoor football. The Aberdeen club’s founder is Grant Campbell, a former team-mate of Macadie at Academy.
“He set it up with the sole purpose of having a senior team that could compete nationally,” Macadie explained. “They won everything pretty much last year and qualified for the futsal equivalent of the Champions League.
“I was down last week playing a friendly with them. It’s a smaller ball, size four, and it doesn’t come off the ground as much.
“It’s like basketball with your feet, that’s the best way of describing it. You’re back and fore, you’re man-marking, just trying to get space and do things.
“As soon as you lose it you’re back on defence. As soon as the ball goes out, the clock stops.”
The preliminary round runs from August 20-25.
Highland League results: Brora Rangers 5, Turriff United 0; Deveronvale 0, Inverurie Locos 2; Formartine United 0, Banks O’ Dee 2; Forres Mechanics 0, Rothes 3; Huntly 5, Strathspey Thistle 0; Keith 1, Brechin City 3; Lossiemouth 0, Clachnacuddin 2; Wick Academy 2, Fraserburgh 0.
Highland League fixtures for Saturday, August 3: Banks O’ Dee v Lossiemouth; Clachnacuddin v Keith; Fraserburgh v Deveronvale; Huntly v Wick Academy; Inverurie Locos v Buckie Thistle; Nairn County v Brechin City; Rothes v Formartine United; Strathspey Thistle v Brora Rangers; Turriff United v Forres Mechanics (all 3pm).
Wednesday, August 7: Brechin City v Inverurie Locos; Buckie Thistle v Fraserburgh; Clachnacuddin v Nairn County; Deveronvale v Huntly; Formartine United v Turriff United; Forres Mechanics v Brora Rangers; Keith v Banks O’ Dee; Lossiemouth v Rothes; Wick Academy v Strathspey Thistle (all 8pm).