Bon Accord City back on song after spell in the doldrums
Report by Andy McLaren
Former Scotland schoolboy John Furey today admitted he is keen to mark a new era at Bon Accord City with silverware success this season.
John, who represented the Dark Blues at Juvenile level, became one of the youngest ever players to represent the Aberdeen outfit, signing for them when he was only 17.
The 20-year-old also played for Aberdeen Select in the national Juvenile leagues and is one of the most experienced members of the squad after the team were left with only two players in the summer.
With 17 players under the age of 21, Bon Accord City are one of the youngest sides in Amateur football.
And John, who has also played for Sheddocksley and Banks o’ Dee, believes the arrival of young talent will secure the club’s long-term future.
He said: “The squad only had two players remaining when we were relegated from the Premier Division, and it was devastating to see.
“We gradually started to find new faces and I managed to help attract some friends who previously played at Junior and Highland League level.
“I was annoyed because our manager Billy Ross works tirelessly for this club and it was disappointing to see the majority of the lads suddenly leave.
“Last season was a struggle and we were signing players who had only experienced five-a-side football as we were so desperate.
“We managed to make some last-ditch signings which was the reason we managed to narrowly stay in Division One last season.”
Founded in 2007, Bon Accord City were originally made up of players from Wilsons XI after they moved to Junior football and were re-branded as Hillhead Juniors.
City went on to lift the Premier Division title in 2010 for the first time in their short history.
Bon Accord were then relegated from Amateur football’s top flight two years later and just avoided the drop to Division Two last term.
Now, the Bridge of Don outfit are starting to climb the ranks again following the arrival of 15 new signings from clubs such as Keith, Formartine and Banks o’ Dee.
Bon Accord recently recorded their biggest win of the season by defeating Glendale 8-1, rising three places to eighth in Division One.
And John reckons the morale at the club is at its highest since he first joined as a teenager.
“The squad have been brilliant following our slow start to the season and it’s great to have the possibility of making a cup final,” he said.
“It’s important to keep a steady side and it will be vital to avoid ending up in the same situation as last year when we were left with nothing.
“I’m enjoying my football as I’m playing with friends who have all bonded really well as a team.
“Our manager Billy Ross runs the club by himself and I really don’t know anyone in the Amateurs who dedicates as much time as he does.
“We want to make him proud and will do that by winning silverware this season.”
