Isaac Layne is eager to shoulder the goalscoring burden for Peterhead this season.
The 25-year-old joined the Blue Toon from Dumbarton this summer and has featured in all three of their pre-season friendlies to date.
In recent years goals have never been particularly hard to come by for the Buchan outfit with Rory McAllister prolific during eight-and-a-half years at Balmoor.
However, he left in January having netted only four times in the first half of last season.
Midfielder and captain Scott Brown was top scorer when last term ended in March with eight strikes.
Layne is determined to take on the mantle of being a regular scorer for Peterhead when the 2020-21 campaign begins next month.
The former Stranraer, Brechin, Alloa and Stirling Albion striker said: “That’s the plan, for me to score goals.
“There’s been a very good striker at Peterhead over the last 10 years or so.
“Rory McAllister has probably been the best part-time striker in Scotland over that period.
“They’re big shoes to fill, but I’m hopeful that’s what I can do in my time here.”
Layne is optimistic about what the Blue Toon can achieve in League One this season.
He was impressed by Peterhead when in opposition to them last term with Dumbarton.
Layne added: “We want to compete as high up the league as we possibly can, which will be the aim of every side.
“We’ve all been out for six months, so it will be interesting to see how everyone starts off the season after that time out.
“We’ve got some really good players and what attracted me to the club was playing against them last year – I was impressed with the way they tried to play.
“We look to move the ball about, which maybe isn’t the case at every club, but we try to play the right way and with the players we’ve got I think we can go on to have a really good season.”
Layne was involved in Peterhead’s friendly double-header against Fraserburgh and Formartine United.
Although Jim McInally’s side lost both fixtures against Highland League opposition 2-0, Layne was encouraged by aspects of the games.
He said: “The weekend was a good workout for the boys. Of course we’re disappointed with the results, but looking at the bigger picture I felt we played some good stuff.
“We’ve also got some players coming back into things like Gary MacKenzie and Derek Lyle (neither of whom have featured yet) and Scott Brown will then move back into midfield (having played at centre-back in friendlies) as well.
“I probably should have scored with one of the chances I had against Fraserburgh, but pre-season it’s about fitness mainly.”
