The junior football season gets under way on Saturday when Ian Mair Park in Dyce hosts the annual Jim McPherson Trophy featuring the Premier League champions and North Regional Cup winners from the previous campaign.
Culter having made it a clean sweep in last season’s local competitions will take on Regional Cup runners-up and newly-promoted Rothie Rovers.
Crombie Park manager Lee Youngson admits the build-up to the match hasn’t been ideal.
He said: “Pre-season has been stop-start for us with so many holidays and several injuries to contend with.
“From the six games we’ve played, we’ve only had a full squad for the East Craigie game so that’s been tough.
“However, holidays will be the same for most teams.
“Despite that, training has been good and we’ve got a lot of work into the players across the last four weeks or so.
“Signing wise, we’ve added Jack Henderson and Craig Anderson to the group.
“Elliot Duff, Jordan Cromar and Ryan Wallace have also returned for second spells at the club.
“This will booster our options both defensively and offensively. We will have more games this season so having a squad of 22 should help with that.”
Culter are looking to build on a hugely successful campaign, which will include participation in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup.
They have been drawn to face Blackburn United at home in the preliminary round two of the competition.
Youngson added: “Last season was incredible, winning everything locally takes some doing but that’s history now.
“This season is a new season, it will be extremely tough even more so after the success of last season.
“We’re under no illusions, we know what we’re up against and if we are to find similar success we need to be better all over the park, and be consistent with our performances again.
“Rothie will be tough, they’ve had a good pre-season and I expect them to be challenging a top four finish in the Premier League this season.
“We should have between 16 and 18 players available. We still have a few missing due to injury but that’ll be the same for a few weeks yet we suspect.
“It’s shaping up to be a competitive league and we’re all looking forward to getting started.”
Rothie relishing new campaign
Rovers, meanwhile, have recruited Murray Thompson from Turriff United, Tom Ward (Insch), Phil Watt (Deveronside), Murray Dawson (Newmachar United) and goalkeeper Chris Garden who returns for a second spell after a period working abroad.
Boss Kevin Beaton is looking forward to the season.
He said: “I think we’ve recruited well and although it’s been a short break, the boys have come back raring to go.
“Being in the Premier League will be a different challenge with different motivation although there are four other sides that were in our league last season and we played a number of top flight sides in the cups.
“We played Culter twice last term and lost 2-0 both times.
“They deserved to win and they’ve probably got enough firepower to field two teams that could hold their own.
“It’ll be a tough game as Culter are the club that everyone else aspires to.”
Improvements at the Rothienorman club’s ground have continued over the summer with a new sponsors cabin currently being installed to be ready for the first home game of the season next week.
Saturday’s match kicks off at 2pm.
