Report by Andy McLaren
Lads Club Amateurs Keith Webster is dreaming of winning a second trophy with the club after reaching the Stephen Shield final.
Keith scored two goals to help his side edge past league leaders Feughside 3-2 as they reached their second cup final of the season.
The midfielder is one of Lads Clubs’ longest serving players, having joined the Aberdeen outfit from Auchnagatt Barons in 2006.
And Keith, who won the White Cup with Lads Club in 2008, believes the emergence of players from juvenile level has made the club more stable than ever before.
He said: “We have played fewer games than other teams but to have won three games in a row shows we can compete with the best.
“Over the years, we have had to bring in new boys every season but a lot of younger guys have now arrived at the club.
“It’s unfortunate not to have a link with Aberdeen Lads Club but I still think we can win two cups this season.
“We are always looking to recruit younger talent and I think this is what most teams in the amateur leagues have to do nowadays.”
The Aberdeen side were formed in 2004 to provide a club that would be run by, and for, the players.
The Division One (North) team were crowned Division Two (East) champions in 2007 and Division Two (North) winners in 2010.
Lads Club manager Stuart Hale has also been with the club since 2006 and has been impressed with the improvement his side have made.
He said: “We had a very poor start to the season, mainly because a lot of our players work offshore.
“I’m immensely proud of how the players have dealt with the large amount of call-offs we have had over the winter.
“We really now need to look at the league and secure our safety in it as we have experience the highs and lows of reaching a final but forgetting about the league.
“We have managed to find a bit of form now so there is no reason why we can’t progress up the league table.”
Lads Club have also reached the Bowie Cup final where they will face Inverurie’s Beacon Rangers.
The Aberdeen side previously had a link with Aberdeen Lads Club at juvenile level.
But assistant manager Jim Westwood is in his 3rd season with the club and admits players emerging from Aberdeen Lads Club at juvenile level have dramatically declined since the collapse of the junior side in 2008.
He said: “There is only one Aberdeen Lads Club playing in the juvenile leagues now.
“There are no feeder teams for us and it’s sad to see such dramatic decline in youngsters playing football.
“We struggle to field the same eleven players every week so we are forced to make changes every week.
“Are performances have been up and down all season but I now feel we can focus on climbing the league and hopefully bring home some silverware at the end of the season.”
