Sinclair is ideal choice to take charge at Thurso Swifts, says Reid
Stevie Reid has stepped down as manager of Thurso Swifts and says he is “absolutely delighted” that coach Asa Sinclair is taking over the role.
Reid’s association with the club began around 1996/97, as a player and then as player/manager. He also played for and managed Thurso in the North Caledonian League.
Since football resumed after Covid, Swifts have consistently been among the leading teams in the second division of the Caithness amateur league and have twice been one game away from securing promotion.
They lost out in end-of-season play-offs against Wick Thistle in 2022 and against John O’Groats this summer. They lifted the Steven Cup in 2023, beating Lybster in the final.
Reid (56) will still be available to help behind the scenes.
“I’ve enjoyed my time,” he said. “I’ve said I will stay in the background. If they’re quite happy for me to do that, I will.
“I’ve had Asa with me at Thurso and obviously at Swifts. Every time he has been on the sidelines beside me helping out I’ve liked what he has had to say.
“I said to the club we’re going to have to really try to approach Asa, I think he’s ideal. He took a wee bit of time to think about it but I’m absolutely delighted that he has accepted it now.”
Swifts held their end-of-season awards at Thurso Golf Club on Saturday. “Asa got a good response from the boys on our presentation night,” Reid said.
He added: “I leave the club in a really good state. It’s probably the best committee they’ve had for a long, long time.
“They’re strong in that department, so hopefully they can build on it. Asa is someone with a new-found enthusiasm.
“I wouldn’t say I was going through the motions latterly but I realised that I didn’t have quite the enthusiasm that it deserved.”
Reid is hopeful that Sinclair, an experienced goalkeeper, will continue to play his part on the field too.
“He’s unfortunate that he has had a couple of injuries but he’s hoping to continue, which is excellent,” Reid said. “Kevie Warner is going to stay and help him as well.
“And I’ve said that ‘if for any reason you do need a hand with anything, Asa, I’m always there’.”
Reid believes Swifts have the potential to take the “extra step” and earn promotion to the top flight of the county league.
“We won the Steven Cup, and I was quite honest when I spoke to them on Saturday,” he said. “I said we’ve lost a couple of play-offs, and hopefully it’s a learning curve – maybe it just proved that we weren’t quite ready for it.
“You lose these games sometimes for a reason. They’ve got to learn, they’ve got to take that on board.
“It’s a matter of sticking together, keep learning and keep trying to improve to go that extra step. Some of the boys are right young lads, so they’ve just got to keep cracking at it now and hopefully Asa can entice some other people to come in.
“I think they’ll do really well. As long as the majority of them stick together, it’ll be fine.”
Sinclair (36) said he was honoured to have been asked to take over as manager.
“Swifts have a long, successful history and are a very important part of the local community,” he said. “Thanks to Stevie and all the members of the committee for giving up their time and putting in so much effort into constructing a team three years ago when it looked like Swifts may not be entering a team in the league.
“I’m sure I don’t just speak for myself when I say how enjoyable the last few years have been. We really are lucky to be part of such a great set-up.
“My aim is to continue on from that and give the players a platform to enjoy their football with the help of Kevie Warner, the committee and all the senior players at the club who are a great influence on the younger players.
“Our first goal is to have a team challenging for the second division trophy and competing well in all the cups. Longer term, it is to establish Swifts as a first division club.”
