Huntly Football Club legend Martin Stewart praises goal efforts of Highland League’s top scorer Angus Grant
There’s no-one better qualified than Huntly goal legend Martin Stewart to recognise the talents of a top striker.
And he believes his old club have found themselves an ace marksman in current top goal scorer Angus Grant.
Ex-Turriff United front man Grant is top of this season’s Highland League goal charts with 18 strikes - better than a goal a game.
He’s got a long way to go to catch up local hero Stewart, who netted 310 times for the Black and Golds in a glittering career between 1991 and 2005 spawning 18 major honours.
As the club’s greatest-ever scorer, Stewart knows a decent front man when he sees one and as a regular on the Christie Park terraces, he has witnessed many of Grant’s impressive haul.
“When he goes through on goal you think he’s going to score. You can’t say that with many boys in the Highland League,” said Stewart.
“Huntly are not a top, top side like Brechin, Brora and the rest. It just seems to be that the chances are falling to him and he’s taking plenty of them.
“I watched him against Lossiemouth when it was a tight game and the Lossie boy made one mistake, Angus was in and that was a goal.
“He looks excellent right now. There’s nothing to say he couldn’t play at a higher level.
“It can turn easily if you haven’t scored in a few games and start snatching at chances. Confidence is what scoring goals is all about.
“I enjoy watching him, and if he gets a chance you fancy him to score.”
Stewart has also seen Grant pass up opportunities but like any good attacker, he doesn’t let that faze him and will eventually find the net.
“I watched him in one game when he scored twice but he could easily have six as he was clean through on other occasions.
“He makes great runs and he gets lots of chances but he is a good finisher and you can’t argue with his total so far.”
Stewart regularly broke the 30-goal barrier in a Huntly shirt and once passed 30 halfway through a season, only to get injured.
“My best season was 40-something. There was one year when I had 34 by Christmas, the last year that we won the league and that’s when I needed my back operation.
“I think it was 24 games, I had two fives and a heap of fours, I could have had a few.
“Lugs (Brian Thomson) had 45 one year, I think that’s the best a Huntly player has had and I’m pretty sure it was one of the years we didn’t win the league.”
