Transfer News: MacRae Makes Buckie Switch
Nairn County midfielder David MacRae has ended months of speculation about his future by penning a two year deal to join the growing Inverness-based contingent at Buckie Thistle.
The former Inverness CT midfielder - who was linked with a move to Ross County - was out of contract at Nairn and makes the move on a Bosman, but County will still be entitled to a fee as he is under 23 years of age.
County boss Les Fridge was remaining positive about life without the player he had identified and brought to the club and felt that the opportunity was now there for someone else to take over the mantle as a goalscoring midfielder. He said: "David MacRae was our top scorer for three years and did a very good job for us but there were games that he missed and we coped and it now gives other boys the chance to prove that they can step up to the plate."
The player has not been involved with Nairn in any of their pre-season games so far.
Fridge added: "Life goes on and we wish him all the best. I feel we kick started his career because he couldn't even get into the reserve side at Inverness CT and was going nowhere.
"We took a chance and signed him and gave him a platform to perform and he has done that but he is entitled to do what he wants now under the Bosman ruling."
He added: "I enjoyed my time with Nairn a lot. There is a great bunch of boys at the club both past and present which helped me settle in when I first came and I would like to thank them and the fans for that.
"Before I went to Nairn I wasn't known for scoring goals - in fact if you had told me at the beginning I would have been top scorer for three years running I would have laughed at you."
He also pin pointed the North of Scotland Cup final victory over Forres in 2005 in which he scored twice as his finest hour in a Nairn jersey and spoke fondly of the match.
"Before the game I didn't really have a clue how much it meant to everyone in Nairn. I had played in two North Cup finals before that and hadn't seen anything like the banners and crowd that were there that day. After and during the game I realised what it meant and I think it spurred us on even more to go on and win it.
He added: "The two goals really meant a lot to me. I had missed a penalty in the league match against Forres previous to the cup final so the nerves were going a wee bit when I stepped up and I was just delighted when it hit the net.
"The second goal wasn't really about me. Tony (Low) made that goal himself and I had the easy job of tapping it in - the hard part was trying to find the pace to get past him so he could play me in."
Meanwhile, Fridge had nothing further to report on the transfer front but expects to hold talks with Nairn St Ninian player of the year Glenn Main soon. The versatile 22-year-old featured as a trialist at Stenhousemuir last Saturday and has been training with the squad this week. The manager also has no other pre-season fixtures scheduled, leaving the side with Peterhead at home this Saturday and Strathspey Thistle away the following Saturday before the action gets underway for real.