Wick Academy undergoing 'complete squad transition' ahead of new campaign
Signings will be "coming thick and fast" at Wick Academy between now and the latter part of next week, according to manager Gary Manson.
He is in the midst of a "complete squad transition" ahead of the new Highland League campaign and will be working with a bigger group of players than last season.
Attacking midfielder Gary Pullen (18), who was the North Caledonian League's young player of the year for 2022/23 while playing for Golspie Sutherland, has signed a two-year deal with the Scorries and others will follow before the final pre-season game against Orkney in Kirkwall on July 22.
A number of local trialists featured in Tuesday night's 1-0 victory over a youthful Ross County side at a rainy Harmsworth Park.
"They [Ross County] were young boys, 16 or 17-year-olds, and we should be imposing ourselves a wee bit more on them," Manson said afterwards.
"But it was our first pre-season game, a lot of new players, a lot of substitutions, so it served its purpose. It's the first game out of the way.
"They had some good technical players but maybe not the nous and physicality of a senior team."
On the imminent signings, Manson said: "They'll be coming thick and fast over the next week and a half. I'm hoping to tie everyone up that we want to tie up before the Orkney game."
Manson confirmed that the Orkney-based trio who turned out for Academy last season – Toby Macleod, Jamie Flett and Owen Rendall – will again be part of the squad, along with potentially a fourth.
Meanwhile, Mark Macadie has signed a new long-term contract.
The only goal on Tuesday came in low-key fashion after 11 minutes when Alan Hughes delivered a free kick from the right and Owen Harrold, one of the trialists, prodded it goalwards from close range. Harrold, Wick Thistle's player/manager in the county league, admitted later it was a scuffed effort that trundled over the line off a defender – but he was claiming it nonetheless.
Manson said: "Owen was one of the biggest plus points out of that game."
Academy's starting line-up consisted of Graeme Williamson, Alan Hughes, Ryan Campbell, Rob McLean (trialist), Owen Harrold (trialist), Richard Macadie, Gary Pullen, Aaron Wilson (trialist), Mark Munro (trialist), Gordon MacNab and Mark Macadie. Substitutes Joe Anderson, Marc Coghill (trialist), Jack Halliday, James Mackintosh (trialist), Matthew Aitkenhead (trialist) and Leo Shearer (trialist) all featured in the second half.
There was a strong Caithness contingent in the Ross County squad. The young Staggies included four ex-Caithness United players – Matthew Robertson, Euan Kennedy, Ethan Kevill and Kieran Macgregor.
The line-up was essentially the County U18 side in the Club Academy Scotland league system.
