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Scott savours successful season
BANCHORY St Ternan boss Steve Scott admits it will be extremely difficult for his side to better this year's third place finish next season.
A terrific run of form towards the end of the season helped the Saints pip Dyce for third spot in the Superleague by virtue of a superior goal difference.
Scott said he was delighted to have secured such a high spot in the league in only his side's second season in the top flight following their promotion from the First Division.
He said: "It is obviously a higher position than we thought we would get. At the start of the season I would have been pleased to have stayed in the top half of the league again. To finish third is all credit to the players because after they lost in the McLeman Cup (to Hall Russell) it would have been easy to drop off and see the season out. They responded well and in the last few games we have beaten Maud away then Banks o'Dee, Lewis United and Sunnybank so it was a really good end to the season."
However Scott will not have the same funds to splash during the summer as his rivals to help maintain Saints' progress as a top Superleague side.
He said: "To better third position will take some doing, especially when you have the likes of Sunnybank, Banks o'Dee and Culter who are all going to strengthen. They have the cash to bring in new players and I know Banks o'Dee are putting a complete new squad together.
"We don't have money to spend and we have to look at picking up players from amateur sides or boys who are out of contract, so it's going to be difficult.
"But the players have all re-signed and if we can add two or three real quality players to what we have got then I think we can have another good season. I'm not going to say we are going to finish higher than third as the aim for us remains to consolidate our place in the Superleague."
However Scott believes he will be able to persuade a better standard of player to the Milton following their two successful seasons in the top flight.
"When we first came up to the Superleague and we were trying to get players to sign they may have been hesitant as they weren't sure how we were going to get on," he said. "Even when we finished fifth some players may have thought that was just a flash in the pan.
"We have shown this season that wasn't the case. Hopefully players will see that we are a good team to come and play for. The problem we are encountering is that I have already sounded out a few players about coming here and the first thing they ask is what are they getting. We don't have the finance to compete with the clubs with the money, especially just now when money is a bit tight for everyone and we are trying to do up the park. We have to show players that we have a good set-up, we play the right way and if you want to enjoy your football then Banchory St Ternan is somewhere you can do that."
The Banchory boss also paid tribute to his players for their hard work over the course of the season.
He added: "This year has been a team effort. Obviously the likes of Greg Sim, Phil Watson, Mark Glashan, Alan McRae and Kris Downing have been the backbone of the team this season but everyone has played their part. We haven't had to rely on two or three players, they have got results as a team. In fact I will be interested to see who gets the player of the year award as there are so many of the boys who would be worthy winners."
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Weather for Banchory
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 6 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
