Brechin City have clinched the Highland League title for the first time in their 117-year history with a victory at Buckie Thistle.
But while City will rightly bask in the glory of their trophy success, they will hope it will their last-ever Highland League success.
Brechin’s 2-0 win over Buckie, courtesy of goals from Ewan Louden and Grady McGrath over Buckie Thistle came in a dramatic final day shoot-out at Victoria Park.
It secured a pyramid play-off semi-final with Lowland League champions Spartans next weekend.
They will travel to Edinburgh for the first leg, with the return at Glebe Park on May 6th.
FULL TIME | BUCKIE THISTLE 0-2 BRECHIN CITY
It’s official – we are 𝑯𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑳𝑬𝑨𝑮𝑼𝑬 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑴𝑷𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺 pic.twitter.com/1eAEgCYkfw
— Brechin City FC (@BrechinCityFC) April 22, 2023
Victory in that tie will earn them a two-leg shoot-out with bottom side in League Two.
That gives them a chance to return to the SPFL two years after relegation.
But with City due to return to Glebe Park for a trophy parade and Player of the Year celebration, Saturday night belonged to the Highland League title success.
Brechin City: Small city, big dreams
The Angus cathedral city of Brechin woke up eagerly anticipating their shot at glory.
Brechin, with just over 7,000 inhabitants, may be a small city but it has big dreams.
Shop windows across Brechin were decked out in red-and-white. Families deserted their Angus base for the day.
All roads lead to Buckie…
Incredible send-off for the @BrechinCityFC players as they leave Glebe Park for their @LeagueHighland title decider with @BuckieThistle pic.twitter.com/ozk6GMVc8B
— Ewan Smith (@ewansmithpr) April 22, 2023
An estimated 750 Brechin fans made the 196-mile round trip to the Moray Firth coast town of Buckie.
And they gave the team a terrific send-off as the players greeted the cavalcade of buses leaving Glebe Park at 11am on Saturday morning.
With the club anthem ‘Tractor Song’ being sung as far as Gran Canaria by ex-pat Brechin City fan Dave Stuart the word of City’s title charge was spreading.
But nothing less than a win would do for Brechin on the day and they got it in style.
Follow Courier Sport’s coverage as we bring the best bits from Saturday’s trophy parade and, courtesy of our sister title Press and Journal, exclusive highlights from the victory in Buckie.
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