Forres Mechanics manager Charlie Rowley is pleased to have retained the vast majority of his squad as they prepare to return to action next season.
The Can-Cans made the decision not to compete in the 2020-21 season as a result of the pandemic.
Their players who wished to play this term were allowed to join other clubs on a temporary basis.
Although one of those players, Aaron Hamilton, has decided to stay with Deveronvale after joining them for the campaign the bulk of Rowley’s squad have decided to remain at Mosset Park.
Forres have also signed 20-year-old defender Ruari Fraser and Rowley is hoping to do more business.
He said: “I think as it stands we’ve got 17 or 18 who have agreed to come back.
“There’s a couple who I’m waiting on answers from, but the vast majority have agreed to come back.
“We’ve added Ruari to that and we’re looking at other players to see who we might be able to bring to the club.
“Hopefully we can get a couple more fresh faces in.
“It gives us a platform with the players we’ve got and then we can add roundabout that in the areas we feel we need to.
“It’s really pleasing the vast majority have come back.”
Fraser is returning to the club from Formartine United, having previously been on loan to Forres from Ross County.
The Can-Cans tried to sign him last summer, but he opted for Formartine because he is at university in Aberdeen.
Rowley added: “We’ve kept an eye on him and got in touch again to see if he’d fancy coming back and he did.
“Joe Gauld is also at university in Aberdeen so they can travel through together to midweek games and the odd training session.
“Ruari has been great to deal with and I’m delighted we’ve got somebody of his quality coming to the club.”
Forres opted out of the 2020-21 Highland League season in November and while the decision may have raised some eyebrows at the time Rowley believes it was the right decision.
The campaign ended up being declared over last month with no side having played more than three league games.
Rowley said: “As much as there might have been question marks about us not competing I think it’s worked in our favour.
I think relief is probably the right word about the decision we made.” Charlie Rowley
“We’ve had a good break without any of the stop-start and rigmarole that’s happened this season.
“The players will be fresh and hungry to go again next season as well.
“I think relief is probably the right word about the decision we made.
“Even before we made the decision the hassle of coming to training with no car sharing and no showers it wasn’t feasible we felt to continue playing in the circumstances.
“I think it was proven to be right and the players haven’t had the rigmarole either.
“They weren’t enjoying coming to training either with the aspects involved so it wasn’t ideal.
“So they’ve had a good rest and I think they’ll be back raring to go come the start of June.”
