Clach boss Jordan MacDonald hopes to get the best out of Martin Laing on his return to the club.
Laing was a Lilywhites favourite during his one-year spell at the club in 2013, prior to leaving for Inverurie Locos, and had been out of the Highland League entirely due to work for the last two years.
He had four years at Locos while studying at the University of Aberdeen and spent the last year working in Bristol, prior to returning to his native Highlands.
The former Caley Thistle youth graduate is one of eight signings Clach made ahead of this season.
MacDonald said: “Martin had been down in Bristol and had asked if he could come and train with us. We were pretty straightforward with him and said ‘of course you can, but we want you here to sign’.
“If we didn’t go for him then everyone else would have. He was delighted to sign on again.
“He’s had a bad injury, in his Achilles I believe, but he’s a naturally fit guy.”
Since taking the job in September, MacDonald has been reunited with a number of players he worked with at junior outfit Inverness City.
His assistant Garry Farquhar worked with him at City, as did first-team coach Michael MacKenzie, while striker Alan Kerr also played for the now-defunct Lister Park side.
Two of those eight signings have also played for him previously, with Allan MacPhee – released for a year from his Forres Mechanics contract – and midfielder Graeme Stewart also joining the ranks.
MacDonald said: “Graeme was a bit apprehensive. We said to him to come in, see how he feels after pre-season and go from there. He’s loved every minute of it.
“When Allan MacPhee becomes available, it’s a no-brainer. It’s the same with Martin Laing, James Fraser and Scott Morrison.
“We were delighted to get everyone that signed on board. We’ve added quality to what we had.
“Sometimes it might have been easy for boys to say ‘I know I’m going to play this week’.”
Meanwhile, Mark Souter reckons Inverurie Locos will take time to gel after a squad turnover this summer.
Locos have lost a number of starters from last season, with goalkeeper Andy Reid, Eric Watson, Ryan Stott, Jonny Smith and top scorer Chris Angus all departing.
Manager Andy Low has been able to bring in Kieran Shanks, after his release from Aberdeen, former Cove Rangers and Dundee winger Nathan Meres and midfielder Hamish Ritchie.
The Harlaw Park side, who travel to Clach on Saturday in a fixture brought forward from January 2, started the league season with victory at Keith, but had their next game washed out when they were due to face Buckie Thistle.
Fraserburgh ousted them from the Aberdeenshire Cup and they lost 5-0 at Lowland League side East Stirlingshire in the Scottish Cup last weekend.
Souter, however, believes they are adapting to what Low wants and it will take time, given the changes over the shutdown.
He said: “We’re still gelling as a team – we have a lot of new faces. I’m sure Andy (Low) and (assistant) Steven Park will try to bring in more to strengthen the squad and are fit into how they want us to play.
“Chris (Angus), Eric (Watson), Jonny (Smith), Ryan (Stott) and Andy (Reid) are all gone – five players that would have been potentially starting every week.
“We’ve still got Neil Gauld up front and I’ve been impressed with Kieran Shanks.”
