Former Clachnacuddin manager takes co-charge at Nairn County on temporary basis
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Former Clachnacuddin manager Brian Macleod has been trusted with temporary charge of Nairn County after Ronnie Sharp suffered a heart attack.
Sharp was due to return home from hospital earlier in the week, and long-term status is not in question with chairman Donald Matheson saying he will be back when his health allows.
With training set to resume next weekend, though, Nairn needed someone to lead the first team squad in the meantime, with Macleod and the club’s assistant manager Mike Rae stepping up.
Macleod had been involved in the coaching set-up at Station Park before being approached by Clachnacuddin, an offer that proved too good to turn down.
The former Lilywhites player resigned from that post two years ago, though, citing personal reasons for his departure.
Macleod is also a former captain with Wee County, so is no stranger to the club on or off the pitch.
As it turned out, that would play an important role in Matheson deciding to turn to Macleod and Rae.
With the vast majority of the playing squad signed up for next season and plans for Sharp to return to the role down the line, continuity and familiarity with the club was a big factor in Matheson’s decision making.
That, in Matheson’s mind, made the pair the perfect duo to take on the task of preparing for the season.
“We’ve asked Mike Rae and Brian Macleod to step up to the managerial role because training starts in a couple of weeks,” he said.
“Mike has been Ronnie’s right-hand man for quite a while now, and Brian is obviously a former captain. He came to us, but then he got the offer of Clach, and he couldn’t pass that opportunity up.
“He’s back in the fold now, so the pair of them will knock their heads together and keep the boys right.
“It will be good to get the guys back together where they can train together and play football among themselves.
“They had three weeks before the cup match and that was it. I’m looking forward to it, I’ll get down to see them when they’re back at training and see all the faces I haven’t seen for quite a while.”
