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Buckie Ladies eye last charge for Highlands and Islands League title as pastures new beckon





A Moray women’s football team will be hoping to bow out with a bang as they get set to begin their final Highlands and Islands League campaign.

Buckie Ladies missed out on a treble of league titles last season in a crunch winner-takes-all clash away to Ross County and will be looking to reclaim their crown when the new season kicks off on Sunday, March 30 at Gordon Park, Portgordon.

Buckie Ladies manager Eddie Wolecki Black (inset) is hoping Buckie Ladies will lift the league trophy for the last time before departing to pastures new.
Buckie Ladies manager Eddie Wolecki Black (inset) is hoping Buckie Ladies will lift the league trophy for the last time before departing to pastures new.

Hopes of settling scores with the Dingwall side have, however, been dashed, with the two teams originally due to face off on Buckie’s home turf on March 23. However, Ross County have now withdrawn from the league, meaning Buckie will now have to wait another week when they will travel to Inverness to face Clach.

It will kick off the League Cup holders’ final campaign in the league before they move to the SWFL North in August. The move will provide a more challenging standard of football as well as access to the pyramid promotion system.

The timing of the transition means that Buckie Ladies will not be in a position to defend their League Cup title.

However, new manager Eddie Wolecki Black, who took over from Laura Duncan at the end of last season, will be hoping to add a third league title to the trophy cabinet before they bid farewell.

He said: “I was at the Ross County game last season and as far as I’m concerned - and I believe the replays prove this - Buckie were robbed of a goal by a poor offside decision by the referee.

“Buckie played to a very high standard and deserved more from that game.

Rebecca McMillan - pictured here with the Highlands and Islands League and League Cup trophies - will once again skipper Buckie Ladies for the coming season. Picture: Daniel Forsyth
Rebecca McMillan - pictured here with the Highlands and Islands League and League Cup trophies - will once again skipper Buckie Ladies for the coming season. Picture: Daniel Forsyth

“Ahead of the new season, the squad are in decent shape, we’ve had two very competitive friendlies where there was a good standard of play. The squad has remained pretty stable from last year - there’s a strong core to the squad and I’m a great believer in giving everyone an opportunity.

“In terms of how the team play, it’s always a case of being successful - go out there, get the results and do the job. You have to be adaptable, but so long as you make sure you’re competitive and you do the job, that’s all that matters.”

While not being drawn on making any predictions for the destination of the league title, Wolecki Black remained bullish about the Gordon Park’s chances to signing off with some silverware.

“We’ve got as good a chance as anybody of winning the league.

“I think it’ll be the same teams as last season who’ll be challenging for the title.”

Full back Rebecca McMillan - who was crowned as last season’s Highlands and Islands Player of the Year 2024 ScottishPower Scottish Women's Football Awards - will once again captain the side.

Wolecki Black comes to Buckie Ladies with a glittering pedigree in both the women’s and men’s game. Among his many achievements is becoming the first full-time coach of a Scottish women’s football team when he took charge of Glasgow City, leading them to eight consecutive SWFL titles, leaving the club on the brink of securing their ninth.

Follow Buckie Ladies’ Facebook page for more match updates, including kick-off time.


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