Formartine United’s Mark Gallagher has relished the switch to part-time football.
The 21-year-old midfielder was released by Aberdeen at the end of last season and joined the Pitmedden side.
Gallagher has enjoyed playing regularly again and has helped the North Lodge Park outfit collect 16 points from their first seven Breedon Highland League games and reach the semi-final of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup.
He said: “I’m loving it, it’s really enjoyable to be playing games again.
“I haven’t played regularly for the last two or three years so be doing that in a good side is really good.
“I met the manager (Stuart Anderson) in the summer and he had the same story as me.
“He got released from a big club and dropped down a few levels, he’s helped me a lot with bits of advice.
“Things like how to keep fit away from training and it’s been very helpful.
“Going from full-time to part-time is a big change.
“When you’re full-time you’re in every day, you’re training and doing gym work.
“But in part-time football you train at night but I’ve been going to the gym basically every day as well to keep myself fit and strong.”
‘We had the belief’
At the weekend Formartine defeated Brora Rangers 2-1 and Gallagher was pleased with their display.
He added: “It was a tough game, Brora a lot of the ball, especially in the second half.
“We were sitting in for a lot of the last 20 minutes but in the first half we battled away and broke well with Julian Wade’s pace.
“We had the belief at the start of the game that we could win and we did.
“Brora were top of the league and have had a good start, but at home we’re confident and we’re a good side as well.”
