Rowley ready to seal new two into Cans

FORRES Mechanics manager Charlie Rowley this week expects decisions from two players who he hopes to have on board at Mosset Park for the coming season.

Rowley aims to bring in two new faces to fill the void left by the departures of experienced duo Martin McMullan and Kevin Duguid.

With pre-season starting again as early as this weekend, Rowley would ideally like to have both involved as preparations for the new season begin in earnest. Rowley said: “We haven’t got anything concrete yet, but are still waiting on a couple of decisions from a couple of players. One has told me he will get back to me in the next day or so, while the other is away on holiday on the 13th and has promised me a decision before then. Until then we are waiting with baited breath.

“We begin training again on Saturday, and in an ideal scenario you’re looking to have everything in place before then. But it’s not often it works out like that. You sometimes get one or two unexpected positive signings that you haven’t been looking at during pre-season training. If I was to get positive answers this week and didn’t get anybody else I would be happy. If the right opportunity came along though, I would still look to strengthen the squad.

“There has been a lot of banter going about over the social networking sites about the players returning to training on Saturday. I sent them away with a post-season schedule, and they’ve all been adhering to it. It doesn’t matter about who is the quickest and who can keep going the longest. It keeps them interested, but at the same time they need a rest, so it gives them a mixture of both to make sure they are 100% fully fit at the start of the season.”

Forres have already put together a busy pre-season schedule, which starts with home games against SPL sides Ross County on 6th July, and Inverness Caley Thistle on the 9th July. On the 20th July Rowley’s men will travel to Dufftown who are managed by former Can-Cans Fraser Bremner and Steven Rattray, with home games against fellow junior sides Deveronside on the 22nd July and Hermes on 27th July to follow. Forres are also in discussions with Peterhead to arrange a pre-season game against the Blue Toon, with no date set as yet.

However, perhaps the game which is being anticipated more than any is Ryan Green’s testimonial against Elgin City at Mosset Park on 19th July. Rowley feels it is due reward for the forward’s service to the club, but insists he will treat the game no less competitively.

Rowley added: “Anybody who has been continuing at any club for the length of time Ryan has deserves the accolade of a testimonial. Knowing Ryan as I do he is fully worthy of it. However, both teams will be treating it not only as for Ryan, but as preparation for the start of their own season too. I would assume that for 60 minutes it will be hammer and tongs, before obviously the guests Ryan invites play the last half hour or so. We will be treating it as a very important game against one of our main rivals from the higher divisions.”

At the other end of the age scale, Forres are also set to hand youth its chance to impress over pre-season, and Rowley pinpointed two particular players he has high hopes for.

“Drew Howard was in our squad throughout whole season, but unfortunately I didn’t manage to get him the game time I was hoping to. Ideally I wanted to loan him out, but injuries meant I couldn’t afford to do that. If I can sign a couple of more experienced players, Drew would benefit from playing week in week out.

“Ross Paterson started training with the first-team in the second-half of the season, and came on against Buckie in the last game of campaign. He’s not physically ready, but he has good technical ability.

“Both will be with us during pre-season. We will have two or three 17s and 19s coming to pre-season training too, which will help the numbers as well as giving them an insight with how things run, and how they can up their physical levels to the compete with players in the Highland League.”