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John O’Groats have ‘high expectations’ for next year after play-off victory





John O’Groats with the play-off trophy after their 4-0 victory over Swifts in Dunnet on Friday night. Picture: Andrew Mowat
John O’Groats with the play-off trophy after their 4-0 victory over Swifts in Dunnet on Friday night. Picture: Andrew Mowat

John O’Groats will be setting their sights on a top-four finish in the county league next summer, according to Grant Budge.

The experienced midfielder was among the scorers as the village side preserved their first division status with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Thurso Swifts in the Caithness AFA end-of-season play-off.

Budge admitted the result had come as a relief after the team finished second bottom at the end of the regular campaign.

“We believe we’ve been good this year but the standard is high, with North Caley players and management right through the league,” he said.

“We’ll look to take in a couple of young guys next year and aim for the top four.

“We have high expectations, a solid core, a great committee and a great pitch. Everything is going in the right direction.”

Martin Sinclair, Stuart Sinclair and Callum Musgrave got the other goals in Friday's encounter at Ham Park in Dunnet.

CAFA final league standings – Division One (after 14 fixtures each): 1 Pentland United (36 points); 2 Wick Groats (32); 3 High Ormlie Hotspur (27); 4 Staxigoe United (20); 5 Castletown (19); 6 Lybster (12); 7 John O’Groats (6); 8 Wick Thistle (4).

Division Two (after 12 fixtures each): 1 Keiss (27 points); 2 Swifts (25); 3 Acks (24); 4 Halkirk (22); 5 Watten (15); 6 Top Joe’s (8); 7 Thurso Pentland (1).

Roll of honour for 2024:

Caithness AFA Division One – Winners: Pentland United. Runners-up: Wick Groats.

Caithness AFA Division Two – Winners: Keiss. Runners-up: Thurso Swifts.

Colin Macleod Memorial Cup – Winners: Pentland United. Runners-up: Wick Groats.

Eain Mackintosh Cup – Winners: High Ormlie Hotspur. Runners-up: Staxigoe United.

David Allan Shield: Cup – Winners: Staxigoe United. Runners-up: Wick Groats.

Steven Cup – Winners: Thurso Acks. Runners-up: Keiss.

Relegation/promotion play-off – Winners: John O’Groats. Runners-up: Thurso Swifts.

Highland Amateur Cup – Winners: Pentland United. Runners-up: Avoch.

County league player of the year – Division One: James Murray (Pentland United).

County league player of the year – Division Two: Olly Manton (Keiss).

Young player of the year: Kieran MacGregor (High Ormlie Hotspur).

First division fair play award: High Ormlie Hotspur.


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