Highland League outfit Clachnacuddin confirm appointment of Nairn County legend Conor Gethins as new manager at Grant Street Park

Clachnacuddin have confirmed that Conor Gethins will replace Jordan Macdonald as the club's new manager.

The Nairn County legend, who earlier this year passed 200 goals for the Station Park side, is taking his first steps into management having long made clear his desire to transition from the pitch to the dug out.

Gethins (39) was in contention to replace Ronnie Sharp at Nairn last year, when current Wee County boss Steven Mackay was appointed instead.

Now though, the Northern Irishman has made the short move through to Inverness to take over at Clach, where his first game in charge will come next Saturday in the Scottish Cup away at former side Peterhead.

It has also been confirmed that former Lilywhites striker Robbie Duncanson will assist Gethins, alongside now-previous caretaker managers Blair Lawrie and Martin Callum.

A club statement read: "The club are delighted to this evening formally announce the appointment of Conor Gethins as our new first team manager.

"Conor joins the club with a wealth of Highland League experience. Also joining the club as Conor's assistant is former Clach striker Robbie Duncanson who along with Blair Lawrie and Martin Callum will form Conor's management team.

"The club would also like to take this opportunity to put on record our thanks to Blair, Martin and David McGurk for all their efforts over the last few weeks.

"Throughout the whole process Conor's passion and desire has shone through and we look forward to working with Conor as we look to move the club forward. We would also like to put on record our thanks to Nairn County for their assistance throughout this process."

Born in Lifford on the Northern Irish border, the striker first came to Scotland as a teenager in 2001 after being scouted by Ross County at Ireland's famous Milk Cup youth tournament. He scored 11 goals in 68 appearances for the Staggies.

Spells at Stirling and Peterhead followed before he the most prolific spell of his career at Nairn from 2011, where he was the Highland League's top scorer and voted the division's player of the year in 2013 and 2014.

That earned him a five-year stay at Formartine before returning to Station Park in October 2021, going on to pass his double-century and further cement his name in Nairn's history books.

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