HERE WE GO AGAIN INTO THE 24/25 SEASON
AWAY GAME v HUNTLY FC
BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
CHRISTIE PARK, HUNTLY AB54 8JE
SATURDAY 27 JULY 2024 – KO 3pm
So this Saturday, 27 July, we head to Huntly for our first Breedon Highland League match of the 2024-2025 season.
All our preparations have been made and we begin a new adventure…..an adventure I hope will bring us all at Strathspey Thistle more hope of many competitive games throughout the season, and a wish that we can establish ourselves as a team that plays good football, scores a good few goals and is difficult to beat.
As everyone knows last season was not our best, and we hope with the massive transformation at the Club we will see a lot more exciting games both at Seafield Park and on our visits around The North.
We have had a tough few seasons, with always the fear of relegation a constant, but hopefully we can put that behind us and can aspire to better days ahead – and so, for our first steps, we travel to Christie Park, Huntly.
With the new management team of Bobby Beckwith and Ronnie Sharp along with Jags’ stalwart Robbie Flett, and with only four of last years’ squad still at the Club, our pre-season build-up has generally gone very well. Speaking to Ronnie at one of the matches, he stressed that only five weeks before the boys had hardly met each other, far less played football together.
Off the park everything more or less has changed enormously – all of which has been documented in depth over the past few weeks on the website and through our social media – culminating this week in the demolition of the “The Shack” – our clubhouse – with a replacement building hopefully in situ very shortly – so for the earlier part of the season we apologise in advance to visiting committees.
As everyone can appreciate with all the changes it is difficult so forecast the on-field fortunes – but everyone at the Club seems to be in a very positive mood.
Last season Huntly finished seventh in the league so it will not be a very easy opening fixture, so we wish Bobby, Ronnie and all the boys all the best.
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY v INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE X1
Score: STFC – 1 — ICT – 2
The match was preceded by a minute’s applause by the players and the large crowd in memory of former Grantown FC player Adam Higgins whose passing the previous weekend shocked everyone at the Club – and it was decided that the gate fee would would be shared equally with mikey’s line in Inverness.
The Jags couldn’t have got off to a worst start losing a goal within the first minute – many home fans were surprised the offside flag wasn’t raised – and went a further goal behind twenty minutes later.
After this we pulled a goal back by striker Dylan Lawrence just before half-time and proceeded in many spectators eyes to have by far the better of the second half but there were no more goals.
It was a very enjoyable and entertaining game with both teams putting some really good moves together and, regarding the Jags, there seemed to be a growing understanding beginning to evolve with some good performances by many of our new signings.
Unfortunately there were a one or two injuries, which I imagine should be expected at this time of the season as the boys are not not quite match fit yet, so susceptible to a few niggles although Alan Kerr’s might take a wee while to recover from.
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY v LOSSIEMOUTH UNITED
Goals by Caelen Mutch and Scott MacDonald were sufficient to beat Lossiemouth United 2-0 in last Saturday afternoon’s pre-season friendly. Unfortunately for The Jags, Liam Shewan was injured and had to be taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin with a dislocated elbow, and will be out for an estimated 3-5 weeks. .
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY v A ROSS COUNTY X1
Another highly entertaining pre-season friendly against a very good Ross County selection giving us another ninety minutes in preparation for Saturday’s opener.
Again we got off to a bad start conceding in four minutes but this time, Jamie Calder equalised after nine minutes. Both teams proceeded to play good attacking football and in forty-two minutes Caelen Mutch finished a great Jags’ move scoring a low drive from about twenty yards and that is how it stayed until fifty-seven minutes when County equalised. Throughout the second half there were numerous changes which interrupted the flow of the game but I think both teams benefitted from the whole game.
It was also really good to see both Liam Shewan and Alan Kerr in attendance on the sidelines – team spirit is good – and we obviously wish them both the best and look forward to seeing them back on the park as soon as possible.
Again there was a large crowd there to support The Jags which we thank very much for coming along to Seafield Park…could become a habit!!
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Next Saturday (3 Aug 3pm) we host Brora Rangers at Seafield Park before heading north to face Wick Academy at Harmsworth Park for a midweek match (Weds 7 Aug 8pm).
North of Scotland Cup v Clachnacuddin ( Grant St Park, Inverness, Weds 21 Aug ko 8pm)
Click here for a full list of our fixtures and please feel free to download and print off so you can plan ahead…..
PLAYER SPONSORSHIP AND MERCHANDISE
For more information on this year’s player squad, player sponsorship or Club clothing please click on to your choice below to go to the following :
Players Squad Portraits Player Sponsorship Jags’ Clothing
LOTTERY
As ever we conclude this week’s meanderings offering you a jackpot win of £6900 on our online fundraising lottery – click here if you want to play…
LOTTERY CH-CH-CHANGES
As intimated a couple of weeks ago after the current jackpot, has been won therefore completing that game there will be couple of changes.
There will still be a weekly prize of £100 for a consolation winner if their entry matches four of the five numbers drawn, however instead of a weekly increase in the jackpot of £100, this will now be increased monthly.
The game is to forecast 5 winning numbers, which are drawn at random, from 1-20. The 5 numbers chosen are to be marked by a cross (X).
- The Jackpot prize starts at £1,000 and the game continues until it is won and starts afresh. As applicable, the Jackpot increases by £100 immediately after the first draw in each calendar month, up to a maximum of £5,000. The Jackpot is then capped at £5,000 until it is won in a weekly draw.
- If more than one player has 5 winning numbers, the Jackpot will be divided equally among the winning players.
- Should no entry forecast all 5 winning numbers, then any player matching 4 numbers will be entered into a draw for a single Consolation Prize of £100.
- THE DRAW will take place every SUNDAY at 7pm unless otherwise advised.
- The entrant named on the ticket must be at least 16 years of age.
- All winners will be notified.
So we wish Bobby, Ronnie, Robbie and all the squad all the very best for the visit to Huntly and we’ll be back next week with our progress and a preview of our first home game of the season against Brora Rangers.
