Despite this feeling almost like the start of a new season, Academy showed no signs of rustiness with a superb 2-1 victory away to Fraserburgh, overcoming a slightly depleted squad to pick up, literally, where we left off from the first half of the season.
Remarkably, this is the first time since the 2008-09 season that we have made it past the first round of the Highland League Cup, a shocking statistic for a side that have progressed as much as we have in that time.
But now that we have that particular monkey off our back, this competition should now become priority number one in a bid to win our first piece of silverware since joining the HFL in 1994.
Frankly, it would be a travesty if this extremely talented squad of players did not pick up some winners’ medals to honour their hard work and dedication as much as their skill.
Players such as Gary Manson, Gary Weir and Richard Macadie have dedicated much of their adult lives to playing for Academy. The repeated long journeys involved in turning out for the Scorries has proven too much for some guys over the years but these players, and many others, do it year after year.
I’m thinking particularly here of someone like James More, who, in recent seasons, has spent many of his Saturdays on the bench yet his commitment has never wavered and his performances when asked to step in this season have been superb.
You then have recent signings such as Grant Campbell, who travels from Aberdeen for every game, and Orcadian James Pickles who must be the most well travelled player in the league.
The crux of the side, local players like Alan Farquhar, Stevie Cunningham, Davie Allan, Manson, Macadie and Weir, have taken the club from mid-table fodder to title challengers over the last six-seven years, so far without any tangible reward.
It is just a pity, though, that club legend Craig Shearer decided against playing for one more year as nobody gave more to the Academy cause over the last 10 years and deserved to taste success more than him.
It’s not just the playing staff though that deserve to be recognised as the coaching team and committee members make the same sacrifices.
A cup win would be reward not just for the players but for the hard work put in by everybody involved at the club and with a bit of luck, this could just be the year.