Gary Manson has lived the ups and downs of Highland League football with Wick Academy.
From the early days of his career at Harmsworth Park, where the battle to avoid the basement of the division was a regular occurrence, to three top-five finishes in four years and winning their first silverware in nearly two decades.
The experienced defender, in his 20th season with the country’s most northerly professional club, was thrown in for his debut as a 16-year-old in 2000 against Cove Rangers. He is one to espouse the importance of the club’s youth system, given its location and difficulty attracting players north.
“Location dictates it has to be. I could count on one hand the amount of players we have bought in my time at the club,” said Manson, who is the club’s record appearance holder with 663.
“A lot of people up here have their views on it but I don’t think you can put your finger on one thing that needs to be done. Our youth setup is good; the last two or three years, our under-17s have won their league. But we don’t have anything between that and the first-team.
“If you’re expecting a 17-year-old to leave that group and come in and make an impact – that might be OK at the bottom of the table but at the top, that’s quite difficult. I would maybe look at something between the two to get them prepared for the higher end of the Highland League. It’ll be interesting to see where the club goes over the next couple of years.”
Comparisons could be made with Athletic Club in Spain, who enforce a strict cantera policy that sees them only field players of Basque heritage. While theirs is a long-standing tradition, Wick’s location makes it more of a necessity to promote from within or source local talent.
“I was 16 and made something like 18 or 19 starts,” added Manson, ahead of this afternoon’s game against Huntly. “But that was when we were in the bottom half of the table. We weren’t quite at the standard we are now. It was easier to put a 16-year-old in.
“When I came in there was three or four of us around that age that pushed for starts. That’s just where the club was. But it’s more difficult nowadays.”
He has part now of a vastly experienced squad. Midfielder Richard Macadie has 554 games under his belt at 31, while Alan Farquhar, Davie Allan and Sam Mackay have all clocked up more than 300 appearances in the black and white.
“The enthusiasm and motivation does dwindle but right now it’s still there,” said Manson. “It does dwindle with age, I can’t lie. Going into pre-season thinking ‘that’s me committed three times a week, for the next 40 weeks’ or whatever.
“I’ve been signing one-year contracts, taking one year at a time. From my point of view I feel fit enough and that I’m contributing. Once the enthusiasm and motivation goes, it doesn’t matter how fit you are or how good a footballer you are. It’s time to call it a day.”
Manson celebrated his 36th birthday at the end of December and could clock up 700 appearances before he walks away from the game. While the achievement would be a feather in his cap, it is not a goal he is desperate for.
“It would be silly to carry on if I’m not enjoying it or just to make a certain landmark,” he added. “It wouldn’t be fair on myself or the club. It would be nice but it’s not something that’s of paramount importance to me. A 20th season is good enough of a landmark for me and if I called it a day at the end of the season, I’d be more than happy with the longevity I’ve had.
