Williamson and McLean will be ‘a big miss’ for Wick as two new faces arrive
Departing duo Graeme Williamson and Rob McLean will each be “a big miss on and off the park” for Wick Academy, according to manager Gary Manson.
Williamson, the Scorries’ first-choice goalkeeper, and McLean, a regular starter in central defence, are both moving south to take up new jobs.
At the same time, there are two arrivals with goalkeeper Lewis Gallacher signing for the club and forward Euan Kennedy joining on loan from Ross County.
Williamson (34), currently working as an electrician at Dounreay, has played more than 120 games for Academy. McLean (27), a PE teacher at Thurso High School, has made over 50 appearances.
“Both have accepted jobs elsewhere so they’ll be moving on,” Manson said.
“I think Graeme was my first signing when I came in, so he has been with me all through my time and he’s not missed an awful lot of games.
“He has proved himself. He stepped up to the Highland League a wee bit later in his career than probably expected, but he has done really well.
“He will be a big miss on and off the park, and it’s the same with Rob. They will be missed in the changing room as much as they’ll be missed on the pitch.
“They’ll be big holes to fill, but that’s part and parcel of football.”
Williamson is likely to have played his last match for the club, while Saturday’s Highland League fixture against Strathspey Thistle looks set to be McLean’s final outing in an Academy shirt.
Kennedy is an ex-Caithness United player who has been thriving in Ross County’s under-18 squad.
Manson said: “Euan is a really promising young player, highly thought of at Ross County. He is one of their main players in the under-18s and he’s had a really good start to the season – he has scored lots of goals, and I’m really pleased to add him.
“I’m in contact a lot with Ross County about numerous things and it has always been the plan to take Euan in on loan this season. They wanted to keep him for the whole period from August to December and then they would release him for us.
“He will come in on loan until the end of the season and he’ll add good competition in the forward areas of the park. He’ll be in the squad for Saturday.”
Gallacher (21) played for Edinburgh University in the Lowland League as well as turning out for Halkirk United in the North Caledonian League and High Ormlie Hotspur in summer football. He is on a work placement in Caithness.
“I’ve known Lewis a long time and he has a very sensible head on his shoulders,” Manson said. “All through the youth ranks he has been someone that you keep your eye on, thinking that he will be a top goalkeeper in the adult stages as well, and that has proved to be the case.
“I’m really pleased to get Lewis. It has coincided nicely with Graeme moving on that Lewis has become available.
“He knows all the boys anyway. He’s been around the squad numerous times and trained with us on and off for a couple of years now.
“He is still a young goalkeeper but he’s got quite a lot of games behind him. He will fit in very well.”
Weather permitting, 15th-placed Academy will come up against bottom team Strathspey Thistle at Seafield Park on Saturday, with five points separating the sides at present.
The Scorries won 2-1 when the teams met at Harmsworth Park on August 7. Strathspey appointed former Aberdeen and Caley Thistle keeper Ryan Esson as their head coach later that month.
Manson said: “It’ll be completely different to when we played them before. They’ve got a new management team, they’ve got five or six new players, if not more, so it’ll be like playing a different team.
“We’re not going down there thinking it’ll just be a walkover because they’re bottom of the league and we’ve beaten them already this season.
“Everyone will be looking at it thinking, will we slip up? Will we take our eye off the ball and will we get beaten by the bottom team?
“There’s a lot riding on it and there’s no way we will be going down there complacent.”
Results – Highland League Cup, second round: Banks O’ Dee 3, Brechin City 0; Brora Rangers 1, Formartine United 1 (Brora won 3-1 on penalties); Huntly 3, Deveronvale 3 (Deveronvale won 3-1 on penalties) .
Highland League: Clachnacuddin 5, Lossiemouth 1.
Highland League fixtures – Wednesday, December 11: Brora Rangers v Clachnacuddin; Buckie Thistle v Inverurie Locos; Huntly v Fraserburgh.
Friday, December 13: Banks O’ Dee v Keith. Saturday, December 14: Brora Rangers v Forres Mechanics; Fraserburgh v Buckie Thistle; Huntly v Deveronvale; Inverurie Locos v Brechin City; Nairn County v Clachnacuddin; Rothes v Lossiemouth; Strathspey Thistle v Wick Academy; Turriff United v Formartine United.
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