Turriff United chairman Gairn Ritchie has revealed he will step down at the end of the season and will be replaced by Tom Cummings.
Ritchie has been on the committee at the Haughs for 16 years and has previously served as vice-chairman and secretary, before succeeding George Manson as chairman in 2021.
However, the 55-year-old has decided to relinquish the role at the end of the campaign with Cummings, who is the father of Turra manager Warren, taking on the job.
Ritchie, who works as a director of a timber frame kit manufacturer, said: “It’s been a great honour to be chairman of Turriff United.
“However, I’ve been struggling to balance Turriff United work with my own work and my personal life.
“The role of chairman has taken over my life and I haven’t been enjoying it, so I thought it would be best to step down.
“I’ll still be on the committee and I still want to be part of the club because it’s a great club, but I’ll be in a lesser role.
“As a club, I feel we’ve made big strides forward on and off the pitch in the last few years.
“I appreciate the support I’ve had from the club committee, all the volunteers that help us and the local community. I’ve been delighted to work alongside all these people.
“I’m looking forward to working with Tom in whatever role he wants me to take on.
“I’ve got absolutely no doubt that Tom is the right man for the job, I’m sure he’ll do a great job.”
Call came as a surprise for Cummings
Retired businessman Cummings managed Cove Rangers and Rothes in the Breedon Highland League in 1980s and 1990s.
The 71-year-old admitted he was surprised to be asked to become Turriff chairman, and added: “I was a bit taken aback by the offer.
“Turriff have got a very hard-working committee and the facilities at the Haughs are tremendous.
“Something that bothered me, which I mentioned to the committee, was that having someone from outwith the Turriff area as chairman might be detrimental to the club in terms of it’s links with the local community – which is the last thing I want.
“I’m enthusiastic and ambitious, as are the committee, and I’m looking forward to working with them all.
“With everyone working hard as a collective, we’ll try to help the club improve and progress.
“Gairn, like George before him, has done a tremendous job as chairman. It will take time, but slowly and surely we want to keep improving and get the club into a position to challenge towards the top end of the league and also in the cups.”
‘Warren knows what myself and the committee want to do’
Warren Cummings has been Turriff boss since October 2023, and Tom believes father and son can work well together as chairman and manager respectively.
He said: “Dealing with Warren and the management team will be no problem to me – fathers and sons work together all the time.
“If you ask Warren when he was a player who his biggest supporter and also his biggest critic was, there’s only one person he’d name. And that’s me.
“It’s a results-based business. I don’t think it will come to a point where we’re in a bad situation. However, if we are in a bad situation, it will be spoken about, dealt with and then we’ll move forward.
“Warren knows what myself and the committee want to do and working together we’re all going to do the best we can for the club.”
New from around the Highland League
Turriff face Brechin City at Glebe Park on Saturday, but are missing Callan Gray, Lee Herbert, Liam Strachan and Ewen Robertson. Anthony McDonald is still sidelined for the Hedgemen.
Deveronvale welcome back Adam Reid and Tobias Davies-Browne for Forres Mechanics’ visit to Princess Royal Park. However, Banffers player-manager Garry Wood is suspended, while Jack Mitchell and Jayden Goldie are doubts.
Charlie Macdonald is the Can-Cans’ only absentee.
Michael Dangana is missing for Formartine United’s North Lodge Park encounter with Wick Academy, who are minus Owen Harrold, Alan Hughes, Jack Henry, Richard Macadie and Mark Macadie.
Keith are without James Brownie, Craig Gill, Callum Robertson, Murray Addison and Ryan Spink for their clash with Fraserburgh at Kynoch Park. Aidan Sopel, Liam Strachan and Connor Wood are out for the Broch.
Nairn County face Inverurie Locos at Station Park and are missing Wayne Mackintosh and Millar Gamble, but Ben Barron, Andrew Greig and Fraser Dingwall return. Greg Mitchell and Anton Chauvin are unavailable for the Railwaymen.
Brora’s Duffy chasing more shut-outs
Wallace Duffy is determined to keep doing his bit to ensure Brora Rangers’ Breedon Highland League title challenge remains on track.
The league leaders face last season’s champions Buckie Thistle at Victoria Park on Saturday.
Brora have won their last five league matches without conceding a goal – the latest of which was Wednesday’s 1-0 success against Nairn County.
That run has taken the Cattachs to the top of the table, and defender Duffy, 25, said: “We just have to do our business – we must keep winning.
“We now have five clean sheets from our last six games (in all competitions). Keeping clean sheets is so important, because we’ve got players who can put the ball in the net to win games.
“It’s good to play our part and help out the attackers on nights like Wednesday.
“Hopefully we can win the league, but we’ll take it one game at a time.”
Peters happy to play his part
Meanwhile, Buckie’s Josh Peters was pleased to show what he’s capable of in midweek after notching four goals in 19 minutes against Strathspey Thistle.
Wednesday’s game was the first time the 28-year-old striker has started since December 28, and he added: “It was good to be back playing and scoring, because I haven’t had much game-time in the last couple of months.
“The manager has brought in a couple of new players in the last couple of months and has tried a different shape.
“I maybe didn’t have the start to the season that I wanted either – all of that has probably led to me being left out more than I expected.
“However, I’m confident when I play I’ll get chances and score goals. It was nice to show what I can offer when I got the opportunity.”
Harvey loaned to Lossie
Lossiemouth manager Steve Porter is hoping they can see the best of new signing Liam Harvey between now and the end of the season.
The 20-year-old former Aberdeen and Elgin City striker has joined the Coasters, who face Huntly at Grant Park on Saturday, on loan from Buckie Thistle for the rest of the campaign.
Harvey joined the Jags in January 2024, but has struggled to secure a regular starting berth and will spend the rest of this term with Lossie.
Boss Porter said: “Hopefully Liam can score goals for us. I coached him when he was young at Elgin before he moved on to Aberdeen and it’s good to work with him again.
“Liam’s got a great attitude and he’s someone we know can come in and do a job for us.
“Hopefully a run of games with ourselves will help Liam kickstart his career a bit.
“Liam works hard, he’s got pace and he scores goals. Hopefully we can get him firing and get the best out of him.”
Huntly have recalled striker Brodie Allen from his loan at Lossie ahead of this game and also welcome back Ryan Sewell from suspension.
Elsewhere, Clachnacuddin manager Conor Gethins has hailed defender Ben Cormack after he signed a contract extension.
The 20-year-old has penned a deal until the summer of 2028, and Gethins added: “Ben’s been a mainstay throughout the season.
“He’s never injured and he’s turned into a real leader for us.
“Right now, on form, I’d say Ben has become one of the best defenders in the league.”
Clach are without Andrew Macrae and Joe Malin for Saturday’s game against Rothes at Grant Street Park.
The Speysiders are missing loanee Jamie Young – who’s ineligible against his parent club – and Owen Alexander.
Conversation