Old trophy, new dream in final
Huntly stalwart has burning desire to end eight-year wait
Published:
RUSSELL Guild believes adding a winner’s medal to his new contract would be the prefect way to round off a wonderful week.
On Wednesday night, Guild put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at Christie Park until 2011.
Three days later, the midfielder will attempt to help Huntly win the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup for the first time in eight years.
Guild would be ecstatic to lift another piece of silverware with his hometown club.
He said: “I come from Huntly and always wanted to play for my local side, so am delighted to have signed for another two years.
“The way the club is going is encouraging and we are in a cup final early on in the season.
“We could cap off an excellent start to the season if we win.”
Guild believes Huntly are in great shape to push on and have a successful campaign.
He is delighted at the signings manager Dave McGinlay made during the summer.
A total of 11 players were recruited, including Mike Ewen, Michele Lombardi and Stuart Soane, who have all made an impact in the first team.
Guild believes the addition of so many players means the Black and Golds now have a real strength in depth.
He said: “The end of last season tailed off for us, with players leaving and Dave having his hands tied in terms of trying to get new ones in.
“Over the course of pre-season, he has obviously brought some quality players in and although we started relatively poorly, the last five or six games have been really encouraging.
“There is a healthy competition for places everywhere now and the squad is a strong as it has been in a long time.
“The team is starting to gel and we are scoring goals, which is really encouraging.”
The last time Huntly and Keith squared off, Guild scored a dramatic injury-time goal to snatch a 1-1 draw.
The result certainly boosted the Christie Park club’s aspirations of finishing high up the Highland League, although Guild admits he is unsure of the impact his goal will have on tomorrow’s final.
He said: “If we had lost it would have given Keith the upper hand, but in football one week you can play brilliant and the next week you can be average.
“Hopefully we get Keith on an off day and we play well. They go in as favourites, but we will certainly take the underdog tag.”
