Wick Academy player-manager Gary Manson is looking forward to assessing a host of potential new recruits this summer.
The Scorries return to pre-season training on Saturday and will be joined by players Manson is keen to run the rule over as he looks to refresh his squad.
Joining Wick for pre-season will be defender Owen Harrold and midfielders Gary Pullen and Shaun Urquhart, who have all played for Golspie Sutherland in the North Caledonian League, Halkirk midfielder Marc Coghill and attacker Kyle Henderson, Thurso midfielder Aaron Wilson and Tain St Duthus midfielder James MacKay.
Manson is also hopeful striker Marc MacGregor, who returned to Wick in the second half of the 2022-23 season, will commit again for next term.
The Harmsworth Park boss is also keen to retain Orkney-based duo, striker Jamie Flett and midfielder Toby Macleod, who played for the Caithness outfit this season.
Discussions are set to take place with another player from Orkney, defender Owen Rendall, who has previously featured for Wick as a trialist.
Gaffer looks to rebuild
Manson is determined to rebuild Academy after finishing 16th in the Breedon Highland League, their worst finish since the division increased to 18 teams again in 2009.
He said: “It’s quite refreshing and exciting to take in so many players and see how they show up.
“They might show up really well or they might not, we’ll see what happens in pre-season, but I’m really looking forward to seeing how they get on.
“If a few of those boys join us it will give us a freshness to the squad and something different.
“Change was going to be needed at some point. The group we had that did really well for a few years were all of a similar age and we knew we’d lose them at some stage.
“This summer more than in previous years we’re looking to bring in more new faces to fill in the gaps.”
Scorries still a draw
Despite their disappointing campaign Manson has been encouraged by the number of players in the Caithness area who still want to play for Wick.
He added: “I did wonder after the season we had if it would impact on players wanting to come and play for us.
“But it hasn’t been the case, I’ve only had one player say no to coming to pre-season and that was nothing to do with the attraction of the club, but simply down to personal circumstances.
“Everyone else I’ve asked to come along to pre-season has been keen to come which is a good sign.
“I’m looking forward to the next few weeks, there will be healthy competition at training, we’ll have 20 players plus at some of the sessions to competition should be high.”
