Buckie Thistle boss Graeme Stewart believes their mentality has changed as they look to shake off the nearly men tag this term.
The Jags have finished second in the Breedon Highland League in the last two seasons – pipped on the final day of each campaign by Brechin City and Fraserburgh, respectively.
They have also been defeated in three cup finals in the last three years.
Ahead of the new term Stewart has been busy in the transfer market recruiting Stuart Knight, Euan Storrier, Dale Wood, Jack MacIver and Darryl McHardy.
The Victoria Park gaffer is optimistic that this season they can land their first silverware since 2017.
Stewart said: “It’s fine margins. Last season we lost both games against Brechin which you could say cost us.
“But I don’t think you can just look at it as individual games that made the difference because we lost to Fraserburgh, drew with Rothes and drew with Huntly.
“It’s difficult to say what we do differently because in the last two seasons we have been superb and finished second by three points and second by two points.
“What we have done is we’ve strengthened really well to increase our strength in depth.
“But there’s not much more we could have done – just like there’s not much more Brechin could have done last season and not much more Fraserburgh could have done the season before.
“What we can do is improve the squad which we’ve done with five new signings and Lyall Keir coming back from his loan to basically make it six new players.
“We’ve got that strength in depth and the mentality is also probably different now.
“Two seasons ago we were miles behind Fraserburgh and we were chasing the whole way, it was a good season, but we didn’t expect to win the league.
“Last season the mentality changed and we were always going for it and were always in with a chance.
“Now I think the attitude of the boys is that we need to go and win trophies.
“I think we’re a different animal now and they seem very hungry.”
Standard keeps rising
Although Stewart wants to see Buckie lifting silverware, he says they’ll face plenty of competition to do so.
The Highland League’s longest-serving manager added: “If you’re playing for Buckie, Fraserburgh, Formartine, Brechin, Brora, Inverurie, Banks o’ Dee and others your aim is to win silverware and probably to try to win the league.
“We’re one of the teams with that ambition and that’s what we’re going for, but we know it’s going to be very difficult.
“The standard is high and the professionalism in terms of players, management and coaching is really good.”