Marra opens new chapter
BUCKIE Thistle hero Stephen Bruce has quit Highland League football to spearhead a footballing network which could boost every club in the town.
Bruce (32) is dropping down to the junior ranks to spearhead a revival at struggling Buckie Rovers in a move which could save the Merson Park outfit from the soccer scrapheap.
The move is part of a link-up between youth, welfare, junior and semi-professional football in Buckie, aiming to create a pathway from primary school all the way through to Buckie Thistle’s first team.
Jags’ head of youth development, David Findlay, said young players at the club will be farmed out to Rovers and local welfare side Buckie United to give them experience which could prepare them for an eventual crack at Highland League.
And the idea proved attractive to ‘Marra’. He has completed a loan spell with Lossiemouth and is happy to join Rovers as a player-assistant to manager Alfie Morrison next term.
"I was intending to retire from Highland League football at the end of this season because of my work offshore, and was looking for an opportunity like this to come along," he said.
"I had offers elsewhere, but Buckie is what I’m all about, and the chance to help Rovers and help coach young players appealed to me.
"There’s so much football in the town, and this system should flow from primary one right up through Buckie United, Buckie Rovers, FC Buckie, to, hopefully, benefit Jags in the future."
Bruce’s offshore job as a mud engineer in Norway means he works for two weeks and is back home for four, meaning he will be available for the majority of games next year. Buckie Thistle will also put him through all of his SFA coaching badges.
Rovers are already relegated from Division 1 this season, and with just three remaining committee members running the club were in danger of folding.
"With the possibility of them going out of business, it just didn’t seem like that should happen. They’ve been a fixture in the town for so long."
Findlay said: "It’s going to help me with the young players I work with, and with ‘Marra’ going to work with Alfie it’s also saving Buckie Rovers. It’s keeping everything in the loop."
"The chance to work with someone like ‘Marra’ is great for young players, and I think his name alone will bring people back to the Rovers."
Anyone interested in joining Rovers’ committee can contact Gary Innes on garyinn15@hotmail.com or 07787 938939 or Dave Roberts 07929 444254.
