New Forres Mechanics boss Steven MacDonald says it's a fresh start at Mosset Park and a chance to return the Cans to a challenging position
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STEPPING into the Forres Mechanics managerial position wasn't an easy move for Steven MacDonald following Gordon Connelly's exit yesterday.
Connelly quit after failing to pick up a win in six matches in charge since being appointed as Mosset Park boss in mid November last year.
His assistant MacDonald is the new man at the helm but he is saddened by the departure of Connelly, a man he has worked with extensively in Highland League football.
"Gordon will be a loss to the club and he was great to work with," said MacDonald.
"I wouldn’t have wanted to become manager under these circumstances. I came in to help Gordon as much as possible.
"It’s been a disappointing start with six games without a win, it’s been very hard but on the positive side there is a good young squad there that just needs guidance.
"Hopefully we can build from where we are now."
MacDonald bossed Rothes in recent times, with Connelly one of his assistants.
It was Connelly who persuaded MacDonald and ex-Clach manager Brian Macleod to join him as part of The Cans management team last year, succeeding Charlie Rowley in the position.
A horror start saw Mechanics lose 7-0 at home in their opening two matches of Connelly's reign against Rothes and Fraserburgh.
More recently they drew with Lossiemouth and were beaten by a last minute goal against Nairn in what proved to be the last game of Connelly's short spell in charge, although he wasn't at Saturday's game due to work commitments.
MacDonald, with Macleod as his assistant, take charge for the first time at Turriff United on Saturday.
The pair intend to wipe the slate clean and bring their own ideas to the forefront to restore some pride to Forres.
"It's a fresh start for everyone and hopefully it can be a winning start on Saturday," he said.
MacDonald enjoyed a spell at Forres in his successful playing career, winning cups which he believes can be a trait which returns to the Moray outfit.
"It’s a great club. I won trophies with the club in the early 2000s and it is still a really well-run club," he said.
"They have great facilities, history and a foundation that can definitely be picked up again."
MacDonald believes Mechanics are still trying to find their feet after taking a season out of the Highland League to protect their staff from the pandemic.
"It’s a tricky time right now and I think the club has paid for the 18 months out with Covid.
"It set them back and put them behind schedule but you have to work on that to get it back to where it was.
"Everyone knows that Forres should be a club challenging for trophies and definitely in the top half of the league.
"There’s a lot of work to be done to get back up there, there’s no hiding away from that.
"It’s all about getting some stability about the place and making the young boys feel confident that we are going in the right direction.
"It’s also about getting the reputation back for Forres, making it a club that people want to be at because that is the way it should be.
"Things haven’t worked out recently but the club still has all the ambitions to get back where it should be.
"There’s lots of good people who have put a lot of hard work into it and that will pay off further down the line too."
