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Always look on the bright 'Side of life - the future looks sunny for north junior Superleague club Deveronside under their new management team of Mikey Duncan and Ernie Milne


By Craig Christie

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THE future looks bright for Deveronside with a talented young squad, a new management team and a strong presence in their community.

Deveronside co-managers Mikey Duncan and Ernie Milne.
Deveronside co-managers Mikey Duncan and Ernie Milne.

The North Junior Superleague outfit resumed light training at the weekend under strict guidelines – a major step forward in their return to football from the coronavirus lockdown.

Co-manager Mikey Duncan has brought in former ’Side skipper Ernie Milne as his new right-hand man to compensate for player/boss John McLeay’s retirement to focus on business and family commitments.

Deveronside pulled off a transfer coup to bring in striker James Duguid.
Deveronside pulled off a transfer coup to bring in striker James Duguid.

Duncan has already pulled off a summer transfer coup by persuading ex-Fraserburgh, Turriff, Deveronvale and Huntly campaigner James Duguid to sign a three-year deal for the Banffshire outfit.

This week, they completed the transfer from Turriff United of forward Mikey Ironside, who had been on loan from the Highland League club last term.

Mikey Ironside has turned his loan deal from Turriff United into a permanent move to Deveronside.
Mikey Ironside has turned his loan deal from Turriff United into a permanent move to Deveronside.

And with Deveronside representing both the towns of Banff, where they used to play at Canal Park, and neighbouring Macduff, where their home park at Myrus is now situated, more people are backing the club’s ambitions to compete at the top level of north junior football.

“When I first came to Deveronside, I soon realised what a welcoming club it was, with the ambition to become a community club” said Duncan, who was head of youth development at Deveronvale when Charlie Charlesworth was first-team manager.

“We’ve now got a good fanbase. The amount of locals turning up meant we had a really good turnout for some games and the players are feeding off of that.

“We’ve been at Myrus for three years now, and it feels like we are representing two communities now and we are a Banff and Macduff club, instead of just a Banff club. It’s a family club and there’s a real spirit which we need to keep building on.

“You see the work that (chairman) Hamish McLeay, Linda Legge, Andrea Lovie and the whole committee have been putting in behind the scenes to support us is second to none.

“In very tough times we’ve had great backing from sponsors as well. It’s hard because we’ve got a big club like Deveronvale as neighbours, but Deveronside seems to be making in-roads in coming across very positively with people in the community.

“And I’m really pleased to have Ernie alongside me in charge this year. He’s someone who knows the club inside out and the players really look up to him.”

Deveronside only just returned to the north region top tier last season, but went beyond all expectations with a storming start to the campaign. They won their first five league games to sit proudly at the top of the table and were still unbeaten in November, before inevitably the top Aberdeen sides began to catch up.

A mid-table position by the time Covid-19 stopped football in March was a great achievement for ’Side.

“I would have bitten your hand off for that at the start of the season,” said Duncan.

“A lot of people didn’t give us any hope and it kind of fuelled us a bit. The boys were on it and showed if you work hard and apply yourselves and fight for each other, anything is possible. I think we shocked a lot of people.”

The co-manager insists that Superleague survival remains the priority for the next campaign.

As well as losing McLeay’s qualities in midfield, ’Side have watched another vastly experienced player in Jamie McKinnon leave the club to join north junior newcomers Rothie Rovers.

But Duncan and Milne have worked wonders to recruit striker Duguid (28) to the club. “He had Highland League offers, but he’s a Turriff boy who was finding the travel to Aberdeen (to last club Culter) a bit too much.

“His desire to come to ’Side was second to none, he was willing to move mountains to get here. He will bring that extra bit of professionalism we are looking for.”

Youngsters Michael Wood and Ethan Barron have also been recruited from Whitehills and Buchanhaven respectively.

“We are a relatively young squad now, I would imagine the average age would be 22 or so and the future of the club is great if we can keep these boys together and they go on and reach their potential,” added Duncan,

Striker Chris Ross is back following knee surgery, and will be gradually eased back with the hope of him rediscovering his knack for scoring important goals.


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