Buckie Thistle manager Graeme Stewart has challenged his side to go to the next level.
The Jags played their first competitive fixture in three months earlier this week when they gave Inverness Caley Thistle a fright in the Scottish Cup second round before ultimately losing 3-2.
Although disappointed to be edged out by the full-time Championship outfit, Stewart took positives from the experience.
With his squad tied down for the next two years, he believes it’s time for them to bring silverware back to Victoria Park.
Buckie’s last trophy was the Highland League title in 2017 and earlier that same season they won the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup.
Stewart who earned two league titles as a player with the club in 2010 and 2011, said: “After our performance against Inverness I’m thinking now this team needs to go to the next level.
“That means winning a Highland League, winning cups and winning another league like the side I played in did.
“I think they’ve got the ability to do it and I’m really happy I’m the manager.
“I think it’s the best squad I’ve had. The club is in a great position thanks to the president Garry Farquhar and Graeme Tallis, the director of football.
“They’ve backed us 100% and Buckie is a great club to be at.
“All the players have signed two-year contracts. That shows they all want to be here and be part of what we’re building.”
When Buckie can next return to action after their cup exit is not yet clear.
The Highland League is still in cold storage and, unless granted permission to resume without the need for clubs to conduct Covid-19 testing, it’s hard to see when it could resume.
Stewart, however, is hopeful they may finish the shortened 2020-21 campaign this summer before beginning next season.
He added: “Everyone has got an opinion on what happens next and I would love if we were able to finish the league season, even if it’s starting in May, and then go straight into next season.
“The SFA and Highland League will make the right decisions, I’m sure, and we’ll accept that.
“But if they did that what a boost it would be to play a bit of summer football and, hopefully, in front of some crowds.
“It’s a short league campaign so it could be played along with a couple of cups potentially and it would give the fans some football because that’s what they’ve been missing.”
