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Gibson plots title challenge
CULTER co-boss Andy Gibson is already plotting for next season as he looks to build a side capable of bringing the Superleague title back to Crombie Park.
The Deesiders ended the season on a high after beating Hermes 2-1 in the final of the McLeman Cup last Friday at Hillhead.
Gibson says he and co-boss Gary Thow have learned a huge amount during their first season in charge following the departure of previous boss Bobby Gray.
He said: "I told people to judge us at the end of the season. We came second in the league, we were the top scorers in the league, we won a cup and we had a great win down at Bellshill in the Scottish Cup. There are some real positives that we can take from this season.
"There was also mistakes made by us with one or two things that we will try to learn from. We know that Sunnybank are the benchmark but we will give it a real good go next year and see if we can go one better in the league."
Gibson believed his side merited their cup final victory over Hermes – the club's fourth McLeman Cup success.
"It wasn't a great game but I think we did deserve to win it," he said. "We started off poorly and weren't at the races for the first 25 minutes. They deservedly went one up but we dug in and Lewis McKimmie scored with a good finish to bring us back level before Martin Cooper scored an absolute cracker.
"We were the better side in the second half and had chances to make it 3-1 but never took them. You are always worried when you only have a one-goal lead and they had a chance late on but thankfully it went straight to Andy McIntosh. It was a great night and we had a few drinks afterwards to celebrate."
Culter have moved swiftly to sign central midfielder Lee Murray from East End but Gibson says he does not intend to make wholesale changes to his squad during the summer break.
He added: "We tried to sign Lee a couple of seasons ago but he went to Sunnybank. It didn't work out for him there and he left to go to East End. We think he has good qualities and his best years are ahead of him.
"We have got most of the squad tied up and we are just working on one or two. We are looking to add a couple of new players as well.
"It may change over the course of the summer but at the moment there is nobody on their way out. We are trying to keep the squad together as we had a big turnaround in personnel last year and we are not wanting the same again."
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Weather for Banchory
Monday 21 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 7 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
