Hot competition for places at Buckie Thistle after signing of Dale Wood and Jack MacIver says Victoria Park manager Graeme Stewart
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The signing of Dale Wood has intensified the level of competition for places at Buckie Thistle, says manager Graeme Stewart.
Wood (26) left Forres Mechanics this week to pen a three-year deal with Jags.
Stewart identified a lack of holding central midfield players in his pool, with Sam Pugh effectively being the only one of that type in the squad that was pipped to the Highland League title on the final day.
The Jags boss says Wood will not be a deputy for Pugh as he believes both can play in the same starting line-up, but Wood’s versatility means he can also fit into defensive roles.
“I’m not signing Dale as a back-up,” Stewart said. “We don’t have another holding midfielder and it’s not good to have just one player for a position.
“We sometimes play 4-2-3-1 and I think we needed another holding midfielder. The fact that he can play in there, or play left back, right back, centre half makes him a really important addition for me.
“We’ve lost Mark McLauchlan, Shaun Wood and Sam Morrison are coming back from injuryso that is an area we were looking to strengthen. Dale just ticked all the boxes for us.
“I want to have a squad that when we have to make changes through injury or lack of form, or through rotation and resting players, the standard on the pitch stays the same.
“Two years ago we had a good starting eleven, last year we had a good 14 or 15 and I’m looking to have a good 17-18 this year and I think we are close to getting that if we can make two more signings.”
Wood will join his former Forres team-mate Stuart Knight at Buckie, with ex-Aberdeen youth player Jack MacIver (19) another summer capture for the Victoria Park outfit. Stewart is keen to sign a second keeper to compete with Knight.
The manager is excited by MacIver’s potential to light up his team. “He’s a very technical player, possession-based, two-footed, takes good setpieces and can score goals and has an eye for a pass.
“Basically he’s a complete package in terms of that attacking midfielder. Aberdeen thought highly of him, he was one of the fittest boys in their youth team.
“He went on trial at Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday and he is well-thought of. He did really well at Huntly on loan and went on to Formartine, then he was on loan at Peterhead and I believe he played the majority of their last 15 games which shows you how highly he is rated.”
