Wick Academy on the way to becoming Highland League entertainers again, insists manager Gary Manson
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Gary Manson believes Wick Academy are finally starting to give their suffering supporters value for money.
The Scorries’ manager admits last season in particular saw the home crowd’s patience tested with just four home wins all year.
Along the way, Manson’s men also took an 8-0 battering at home to this weekend’s visitors Banks O’Dee, as well as a 7-1 trouncing by Brora Rangers and 6-0 defeat to Fraserburgh.
There was a slow start this season as a new-look squad assimilated and settled in the Highland League, but a victory over Inverurie Locos and draw with Huntly emphasised progress before competitive defeats to Buckie Thistle and Nairn County.
“Last year was certainly quite tough for the fans,” Manson confessed. “When you’re not winning games, the gate starts to dwindle.
“But this year they are getting more value for money and, now we have a stronger squad and a settled core, I like to think they are starting to see a difference.
“We’re taking on teams up here who are doing really well in the league and giving as good as we’re getting, if not more.
“Saturday could be difficult. We’ve had some tough games against Banks O’Dee before. It will be an interesting gauge of where we are.
“We’re not going into it expecting a win, but we’ll be expecting to compete with them better than we have done in the past.
“If we can continue the goalscoring vein we’re in and tighten things up at the back, you never know what might happen.”
Most of Manson’s summer recruits had never played in the Highland League before, but recent performances suggest he has recruited well.
“It was always going to take time,” the manager stressed. “If we had taken eight players in who all had Highland League experience, they would still have taken time to gel.
“We took eight players, seven of whom had never played at Highland League level before.
“They had to individually adjust to the level and then it takes time collectively to come together.
“Also, at the start of the season, we never had Marc MacGregor, our first choice number nine, available.
“He makes a massive difference to how we play. Him being available for the last few games has made a difference to us as well.
“It is just about having all of your players available at the right time to have the right options to choose from.
“The players are starting to come together now and realise the standard they have to be at week-in, week-out to compete in the Highland League.”
