Paul Brindle is determined to put a positive spin on a difficult season for Forres Mechanics with success in the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup.
The Can-Cans tackle Clachnacuddin in the quarter-final of the competition at Mosset Park with the winner at home to Buckie Thistle or Inverurie Locos in the last four.
It’s been a challenging season for Forres, who currently sit 11th in the Breedon Highland League.
Long-serving manager Charlie Rowley stepped down in November, before his replacement Gordon Connelly resigned in January, with Steven MacDonald now in charge.
Campaign hasn’t gone to plan
Attacker Brindle, 29, said: “This season hasn’t panned out how I anticipated. It’s been enjoyable at times and there’s a good group of boys.
“Since I’ve been at the club every coach and manager at the club has been good to work with and good to deal with.
“But on the park we haven’t been anywhere near where any of us wanted or expected to be.
“It’s been a difficult time, especially coming from Brora where I experienced a lot of success.
“And you probably get a bit spoiled and take for granted getting to cup finals and getting to the top of the league.
“It’s been a bit more difficult than I imagined, but it has been enjoyable.
“If we could get a result we would fancy ourselves in the next round, it’s effectively all we’ve got left to play for this season.
“If we were able to reach the final or win it that would be good because everyone associated with the club and people from the outside looking will think it hasn’t been good enough at Forres.
“A Forres team probably hasn’t been this far down the league in a long time.
“But it’s an accurate reflection of how we have performed most of the time.
“If we could get to a cup final it would put a very big positive spin on the season.”
Clach’s Callum wants another career highlight
Meanwhile, Clach midfielder Martin Callum is aiming for a repeat of their shock League Cup success in 2014.
The 33-year-old regards the Lilywhites’ last triumph in this competition as his career highlight and is hoping to move a step closer to a repeat.
Callum added: “It was brilliant and I’ve got fond memories. We had a bit of fortune with that, because we got beat by Brora in the first round.
“But Brora got thrown out for fielding an ineligible player and then we had some good home ties.
“It was almost like it was meant to be, it was a great day out for the supporters and the guys who run the club.
“It was a brilliant day and it was the highlight of my career.
“If we could do something like that again it would be fantastic for the club.
“I think it would mean more to me now. When you’re younger you take for granted that it might happen again and it’s not really happened for us.
“If it happened towards the end of my career, it would mean a little bit more and most importantly it would be a great thing for the club.
“But personally it would be fantastic as well, but there’s no point in getting carried away.
“We’re only at the quarter-final stage and we’re playing a good Forres team, so it’s a long way off yet.”
