As Rothes aim to build on the success of last year Alan Pollock says he would be happy to finish his career at Mackessack Park.
In 2020 the Speysiders recorded their second highest Highland League finish – third, after the 2019-20 season was cut short because of the pandemic – and won the Highland League Cup for the first time in their history.
Pollock, 31, joined Rothes from Forres Mechanics in November 2018.
He has enjoyed being part of the Rothes revival and hopes to continue to contribute for some years yet.
Pollock, who has also played for Brora Rangers, Nairn County and Clachnacuddin, said: “I’ve been fortunate enough to play in some very good teams.
“I don’t think five or six years ago I would have thought I could go to Rothes and win trophies.
“But that shows you how quickly things can change in the league.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time with the club, I’ve made a lot of good friends and it’s a good set-up.
“Winning a trophy also helps I suppose, in terms of the future I’d probably see out the rest of my playing days at Rothes if possible.
“The foundations are there for the club to have more success.
“The manager has got great experience in the Highland League and also at a higher level.
“He knows his stuff and the squad is very competitive with a mixture of young players and experience.
“Looking forward, I still think I’ve got another couple of good years to offer to the team.”
Fort won’t be taken lightly
Rothes start the new season against Fort William at Mackessack Park tomorrow.
The Lochaber outfit have brought in a number of new faces this summer and some of them, like Junior Caulker and Cameron Adisi, aren’t seasoned Highland League campaigners.
As a result, Pollock regards Fort William as something of an unknown quantity and isn’t taking them for granted.
He added: “Everyone knows that a good start is important if you want to do well.
“Nobody quite knows what Fort William will be like, they’ve signed a lot of players and it’s a bit of an unknown because some of them are from down south and guys we haven’t come across.
“If we were playing the likes of Brora or Forres, we would know more about their team and what to expect.
“But Fort William have signed a lot of guys and we don’t know what they are going to be like.
“That means we’re not taking anything for granted, but hopefully we’ll be able to execute our game plan and win the game.”
Competition can only help Speysiders
Rothes have also strengthened this summer. Manager Ross Jack has brought in Greg Morrison, Shane Harkness, Wayne Mackintosh and Michael Finnis.
Pollock believes the increased competition within the squad can only be a good thing.
He said: “It might be difficult to keep everyone happy. A lot of teams in the league might have 13 or 14 guys who expect to play every week and then younger guys who are maybe prepared to be more squad players.
“But I think we’ve got about 18 boys that probably will look to be playing every week.
“It’s good for the team because it means everyone is trying really hard to nail down a place.
“If you get a chance, you’ll have to do well to try to keep your place and if you’re not starting you’ll have to keep working hard to try to force your way in.”
