Connor Bunce would love to step up to the SPFL as he aims to help Brora Rangers make a good start to their promotion play-offs campaign.
The Cattachs take on Lowland League champions East Kilbride at K Park on Saturday in the first leg of their pyramid play-off semi-final tie.
Attacker Bunce signed for Brora from Clachnacuddin in November and helped them win the Breedon Highland League.
Last weekend, he was cup-tied as the Sutherland club won the R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup to complete a treble.
Brora move was no-brainer
The 23-year-old is hoping there’s more success to come at the end of this season as the Cattachs attempt to become an Scottish league club.
Bunce said: “I think most people of my age want to try to play as high as they possibly can, and if you’re in the Highland League, then that next step is trying to get into League Two or League One.
“Coming to Brora with the chance to win the Highland League and also potentially getting the chance to get promoted to the next level made it a bit of a no-brainer for me.
“In the past couple of years when I’ve been doing well and clubs like Brora have shown an interest, it has made me think: ‘Do I have what it takes to play at a higher level?’
“I think I can do it.
“I’d like to hope my best years are still ahead of me and I feel at the stage I’m at in my career this would be a great time to make that step up.
“Having been at Brora for half-a-season, it would be incredible to have helped the club to win the treble and then get promoted to the SPFL.
“It would be a tremendous effort from everyone at the club if we can do it – it’s something I didn’t necessarily expect to happen so soon after joining Brora.
“This season couldn’t have gone better for myself or Brora up to now, so hopefully that continues to be the case.”
First leg importance
East Kilbride have also won a trio of trophies this term, and Bunce is expecting an entertaining tie, but believes for Brora it’s crucial they keep themselves in the contest ahead of next weekend’s return leg at Dudgeon Park.
He added: “Both teams have won trebles and have been very successful this season, so it should make for an exciting tie.
“Both clubs really want to go up and it should be a good tie, although I think the first leg will be a cagey affair.
“We’ve got the second leg at Dudgeon Park, which, if we can get through this game unscathed, should help our cause.
“It’s really important we keep ourselves in the tie. We’ve spoken about making sure we don’t take any unnecessary risks, because we want to make sure we’re still in the tie next week.”
Although Bunce would have liked to have been able to feature in last weekend’s Highland League Cup final, he says he’s firing on all cylinders as he gets ready to face East Kilbride.
He said: “It’s good to be back involved this week – although it was gutting not to be able to help the boys win the cup, but my body may have appreciated the weekend off and I’ve felt really sharp in training this week.
“It’s a good time to be feeling sharp given the games we’ve got coming up.”
Leitch eyeing promotion target
East Kilbride captain Jack Leitch says getting promoted to the SPFL would rank alongside anything he has achieved in his career.
The Lowland League champions are preparing to face Breedon Highland League winners Brora Rangers on Saturday in the pyramid play-offs at K Park.
Former Peterhead, Motherwell, Airdrieonians and Stirling Albion midfielder Leitch joined East Kilbride last summer.
During his career, the 29-year-old has won the League Two title with the Blue Toon in 2019 and the Binos in 2023, and says if East Kilbride can get promoted, it would be another great achievement.
Leitch said: “For me I think if we managed to get promoted that would be right up there with anything in my career.
“I’ve won League Two twice, but it’s very difficult with the pyramid system to win your league and then get promoted, so if we were to do that and get into League Two, it would rank very highly for me.
“We know Brora have got a lot of quality and we need to try to get past them and then either Forfar or Bonnyrigg.
“It’s a difficult task to get up, as the club found out last year (losing to Stranraer in the play-offs), and anything can happen in these games.”
New challenge suited Leitch
Leitch revealed he could have remained in the SPFL after leaving Stirling last summer, but the challenge of trying to help East Kilbride climb the pyramid appealed to him.
He added: “Having played with Simon Ferry (East Kilbride assistant manager) at Peterhead, that was a big factor in me joining.
“I had a couple of options in the SPFL, but I fancied trying something different, so that was probably the main reason I signed.”
Like Brora, East Kilbride have won a treble this season, lifting the Lowland League Cup and South Challenge Cup, as well as their league championship.
However, Leitch is clear their main target for the campaign is to get promoted – but he knows it won’t be straightforward to get past Brora.
He said: “We’ve won a treble this season, so it’s been a successful campaign.
“But the main objective for the season is to try to get into League Two. I don’t think anyone has shied away from the fact that the club’s aim is to get promoted.
“However, we know Brora are a good side, so it will be a difficult.
“The manager and assistant manager have watched them.
“I’ve played with Shane Sutherland at Peterhead and I’ve played against guys like Tony Dingwall, so I know Brora have plenty of quality.”
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