Loch Ness clinched their first North Caledonian League title last season – but they will face a fight to retain top spot in 2024.
As the action for a new term prepares to kick off on Saturday, we asked all 12 North Caley bosses what business they have carried out on their squads over the summer and what their goals are for the year ahead.
Alness United (ninth in 22/23)
Manager Robert Mitchell has been working hard throughout the summer to add to his player pool at Alness, describing it as a “bit of a rebuild”.
Details on specific players will be confirmed in the coming week or so.
The Dalmore Park club also aim to further progress their pathway from the club’s youth teams.
Target: Steady game-by-game targets are the way ahead for Alness, looking to add to the 10 league victories from 24 games last season.
Bonar Bridge (bottom in 22/23)
Former caretaker manager Tommy McClenaghan is part of a new management set-up alongside formerly South Africa-based coach Bobby Breen and his son Robbie Breen as the Midgale outfit seek to transform their fortunes.
McClenaghan has been encouraged by the new bosses, with Robbie also set to play in a centre-half role.
The club retained many of their squad and are closing in on several new players, but the one confirmed is “key target”, goalkeeper Ryan Renwick from Golspie.
Target: Putting a consistent team together, and improving results, especially on home turf. The side only won one match last season – this has to change.
Clach (10th in 22/23)
One year after joining the NCL, Paul Maclennan’s development squad at Clach are ready to progress the careers of more new youngsters.
Stepping up from the club’s youth system are defender Ally Dibble, midfielder Ethan Mcgoran and forward Kian Macleod. Also coming from under-18s football are midfielders Liam Golabek and Max Morrison from Inverness Athletic and striker Arran Thain from Alness. Goalkeeper Reid Peterkin has also come in from Nairn County.
Targets: For their young group of players to gain experience within this strong division. Beating last season’s tally of 27 points would also be great for the Lilywhites starlets.
Fort William (third in 2022/23)
After relegation from the Highland League, Alan Gray replaced short-term boss Chris Baffour and led Fort to a third place finish in the NCL.
Plenty of contracts have been given to current squad members, and there’s a determined drive to continue to offer a pathway for local young players.
There have also been some eye-catching arrivals in the West Highlands, including “rapid and direct” French winger Doeimassei Muller Doguie, who was last at West Ham under-23 development squad, and Spanish-born left-back/winger Juan Cardona, who played for Woodford Town in the Essex Senior Football League last year.
Ayman Bouzerai, a central midfielder, comes in from Hampshire club Cove FC, with Eliandro Soque, also a midfielder, joining Fort having previously captained Southend Manor in Eastern Counties League Division One South.
Gray is also excited by the signing of wing/full-back Lewis Moran from Glenachulish in South Lochaber.
✍️🟡⚫
After a successful trial the club is delighted to welcome Doeimassei Muller Doguie as he signs up for the 23/24 season.
The young Frenchman is a powerful, direct winger with pace to burn. pic.twitter.com/eaUYhgALXZ
— Fort William FC (@FortWilliamFC) July 17, 2023
Target: Gray says he wants the club to “finish as high up the tree as possible”.
Golspie Sutherland (sixth in 22/23)
Golspie Sutherland lost defender Owen Harrold and midfielder Gary Pullen to Wick Academy, which was a double-blow, but boss Mark McKernie has added ex-Wick centre-half John Budge, striker Steven Anderson from Halkirk and striker Alexander Mackay from Alness.
Planned travel from October will take midfielder Shaun Urquhart awau from Golspie, but McKernie is hopeful of signing one or two more to replace those who have moved on.
Targets: Finding more consistency will, according to McKernie, help Golspie achieve their aim of bettering last season’s position.
Halkirk United (eighth in 22/23)
Manager of Halkirk United, Ewan McElroy, has brought in defender Sean Munro and central midfielder James Mackintosh, both from Wick Academy, young centre forward Mark Munro from Ross County, and midfielder Aaron Wilson from Thurso.
🔴⚫️ Signing News 🔴⚫️
The club are delighted to announce their third new signing ahead of the 2023/2024 North Caledonian Season, a local lad and ex Ross County Youth, Mark Munro. 👍🏻
1/2 pic.twitter.com/q2KTRVr49n
— Halkirk United FC (@HalkirkUnitedFC) July 28, 2023
Targets: According to McElroy, they are looking to simply improve on last year when they earned 32 points. New players settling in quickly should, he said, help the club push on this season.
Invergordon (second in 22/23)
Last year’s league runners-up Invergordon won the Football Times Cup, North Caledonian Cup and Jock MacKay Cups.
In a bid to regain the league crown they won in 2022, they have signed ex-Buckie Thistle goal-grabber John McLeod from Inverness Athletic, forward John Gillies from Avoch, ex-Inverness Athletic midfielder Ryan Keil and defender Ryan Dryburgh, with forward Ryan McFee coming in from Alness United.
Boss Gary Campbell is close to adding a few more to his pool in the coming weeks.
Targets: While retaining the knockout cups will be important for Invergordon, trying to become NCL champions again is top of the agenda.
Inverness Athletic (seventh in 22/23)
Inverness Athletic manager Stuart Ross is delighted to have added Dufftown’s “old-fashioned centre-half” Shaun Gair, ex-Clach duo, winger Chiedu Ikembe and midfielder Scott Graham, and returning Athletic defensive, holding midfielder Reece Shaw, while Sam Irvine and Cruz Hastings have stepped up into first-team contention.
Targets: To at least match last year’s 40 points and be in the mix for the cups.
Loch Ness (champions in 22/23)
Champions Loch Ness have retained their title-winning squad, which ended last season on 62 points.
Their main summer acquisition is former Elgin City and Buckie Thistle striker Adam MacLeod, who was most recently with Lossiemouth. Manager Shane Carling has also brought in goalkeeper Ryan Hunter, who has previously played for Fort William and Clachnacuddin.
Loch Ness will be boosted by the return of forward Luke Seago who missed much of last season, which will bolster Carling’s attacking competition following the additions of Shane Harkness and Liam Taylor midway through last term.
Targets: As well as keeping their hands on the silverware, which will be a challenge they will relish, they will try to add another knockout trophy to their collection.
Orkney (fifth in 22/23)
At Orkney, rather than new faces, it’s more about retaining as much of their squad and bringing through the next batch of younger talent.
Owen Rendall, the club’s versatile captain and top scorer last year, moved on to Wick Academy, following in the bootsteps of brothers John and James Pickles, who returned to the islands.
Manager Charlie Alway hailed his group’s ability to score goals and remain resilient and competitive.
Targets: Their fifth-place finish is a minimum aim as Alway wants his side to “remain competitive”.
St Duthus (fourth in 22/23)
St Duthus manager Alan Geegan accepts losing midfield ace James MacKay to his hometown Highland League team Wick Academy was a blow, but the Tain Saints have retained the bulk of their playing pool.
They have also added a trio of midfielders – Paul Laughlin from Inver, Euan Henderson and Gregor Mackay from Alness, as well as signing full-back/wing-backs Alfie Mackay and Kyle Taylor, from Thurso and Alness, respectively.
Targets: Winning the league would be the ultimate aim, but rising higher than fourth in the league and landing silverware, having been Football Times Cup runners-up last term, would spell success in Tain.
Thurso (12th in 22/23)
At Thurso, Michael Bremner is bringing through a core of younger players to “freshen things up”, but is also lifted by speedy winger Cameron Montgomery coming back from Wick Academy, a year after being the NCL’s young player of the season.
Injury hit the Vikings hard last term, but having the likes of midfielder Luke Manson and defender/striker James McLean available offers fresh options.
Targets: After a “horrible” season, Thurso will hope a more settled squad leads to a push towards mid-table, as well as a run in the cup competitions.
Weekend’s openers
Champions Loch Ness will start the defence of their crown next weekend, as this Saturday they contest their first-ever Scottish Cup tie in Perthshire when they tackle Luncarty in the first preliminary round.
Saturday’s opening NCL games are: Alness United v Inverness Athletic, Clachnacuddin v St Duthus, Bonar Bridge v Fort William, Golspie Sutherland v Invergordon.
The Halkirk United v Thurso match has been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 23.
Conversation