Player Interview: Hind Happy With Comfortable Debut
Nairn County's latest signing David Hind came to the club with a reputation for being a classy player on the ball and one who is more than capable of picking out a pass - and he lived up to that billing as he strolled through his debut at Brora Rangers on Saturday.
The 26-year-old teamed up with Martin MacDonald in the centre of the defence in place of the absent Stephen Skinner. The former Inverness CT youth provided the perfect foil for the power and aerial presence of MacDonald with his neat touches and varied range of passing.
There will be sterner tests to come than the one presented to the defensive duo at Dudgeon Park on Saturday, but the early indications are positive and it looks like this partnership is one that could bare fruit for a County side who have now kept two clean sheets in a row.
Hind can also play in midfield of course, and would also be an asset in the middle of the park. But with an abundance of central midfielders on the club's books, coupled with Hind's ability to read the game and talk his way through it from the back, it looks like manager Les Fridge may have found the ideal man to tighten things up in defence ahead of the last three months of the season.
Hind began his playing career as a youth at Inverness CT. Following a brief loan spell in the Highland League at Fort William, he joined Elgin City in 2000 at the age of 18 just in time for the Moray side's maiden season in the Scottish Third Division. After eight-and-a-half years at Borough Briggs - in the latter stages of which he was club captain - Hind was released by City at his own request. And despite a clamour of Highland League sides vying for his signature, Hind opted to pen a deal with Nairn County until the end of the season.
After his debut at Brora - where Nairn won 3-0 thanks to goals from Shaun Kerr and Lewis MacKinnon (2) - Hind spoke exclusively to Nairn County FC Online. He said: "I thought the boys started very sharply and it was good to get an early goal. We went on from there but I thought we were a bit sloppy at the start of the second half. They (Brora) got a bit of confidence from that but the third goal killed it and it was quite comfortable overall. We had a few chances in the second half as well and it should have maybe been a bit more comfortable but I thoroughly enjoyed it."
After leaving Elgin over the festive period, Hind has been out of action but any rustiness was not apparent at Brora, although the player admits his lack of match action got to him towards the end of the game. He said: "I haven't played in about six or seven weeks so I tired a wee bit towards the end. Hopefully I can play some football though in the 13 or so games we have left and hopefully we get a good run in the cup.
"They are a good bunch of boys here and there are some good youngsters - I was quite impressed with a couple of them. It is definitely a club going in the right direction and I have been very impressed."
Speaking about his departure from Elgin City, Hind admitted that the long journeys to away games and the number of managers who have had a shot at taking the club forward was starting to get to him. He added: "I had been there a long time and when Robbie (Williamson) left it was a chance to make a clean break. I didn't want to go through another manager because I have seen five or six managers come and go. The travelling was starting to get to me too so it was a case of trying to get my desire back for the game. I decided to step down from the Scottish League and start enjoying it again and I thoroughly enjoyed it today."
Hind has spent the vast majority of his career playing Third Division football and is well placed to compare the standard of the SFL with that of the Highland League. "The Third Division is a tough league," he admitted. "But the Highland League is tough as well. You are never going to get an easy day and there are some good footballers in the Highland League. But I enjoyed today's game."
His contract at Station Park only runs until the summer but there is a chance of an extension provided the initial short term spell works out for both parties. Hind explained how the move came about: "I spoke to Les, it's close to home and I was impressed with where Les wants the club to go. Nairn is just along the road so I was happy to sign.
"It (a deal until the end of the season) was what suited both parties best so that is what we agreed on. We will see what happens at the end of the season and see where we go from there."
And Fridge will surely be hoping that Hind is equally impressed with where he wants to take the club next season to persuade the player to extend his stay at Station Park beyond this summer.