Ross County youngster Logan Ross, out on loan at Brora Rangers, is determined to get hands on Highland League Cup trophy
Brora Rangers goalkeeper Logan Ross is desperate to make the most of his first chance to win a trophy.
The Cattachs take on Fraserburgh in the Highland League Cup final in Inverurie on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ross primed to start in goal.
Initially moving to Dudgeon Park in January on loan from Ross County before returning in the summer, the stopper missed out on Brora’s North of Scotland Cup triumph last season.
So he is determined not to let his first opportunity to lift silverware pass him by – although he knows it will not be easy against the Broch.
“It’s a massive occasion, I’m delighted to be playing in it,” Ross explained.
“I had two years at Lossie where we got to the semi final of the North of Scotland Cup once, but I never got any further than that.
“I’d be delighted to get my hands on the trophy – as would everyone. That’s what you want to do in football, win games and win trophies.
“I really want to move forward in my career and show that I can go and win stuff.
“I think it’s going to be a really good game, really tight. Obviously Fraserburgh got a good result at the weekend, as did we. We were in the Scottish Cup, but they got a result away at Brechin, so it will be a good game and hopefully we come out on top.
“It definitely adds something to the game when both teams are in good form. Everyone wants to win cups and leagues, but you definitely want to win silverware early in the season to put your stamp down and show that you’re in this for the long run.”
Ross says it was a confidence boost to know that Brora wanted him back for this season after his spell in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign, adding: “Personally, it has definitely helped my confidence knowing that Brora are confident playing me and having me in goal.
“I did all right in the second half of last season, but they wanted me back which made me feel like they trusted me to go and show what I can do.”
The young Staggie has amassed good experience in the Highland League between loan spells at Lossiemouth and Brora.
He has also been in and around the first team picture, and can often be seen helping senior goalkeepers Ross Laidlaw and Ross Munro warming up before matches.
All of that has been good exposure for a goalkeeper as young as Ross, and he certainly feels like he has reaped the benefits of going to the biggest stadiums in the country as well as playing regularly in the Highland League.
“I can’t even put into words how different I am now," he added.
“I was 16 when I first started playing in the Highland League with Lossiemouth, back in the closed-door season with no fans, just nothing at all.
“That was weird, but now I don’t even know how many games I’ve played in the Highland League – it’s a lot – for Lossie and Brora.
“I still feel that I’m very much in the first team group (at Ross County). With being out on loan, that gives me the freedom of being in the first team and helping them out while still playing games every week elsewhere.
“I do enjoy doing the warm-ups, and I love travelling to all the different grounds. I’ve been to Celtic Park and Ibrox, so it’s good to get that experience.
“When you play the bigger teams at home, you’re hearing the noise after the warm-ups and seeing people bouncing. The fans can’t wait to get going, so it’s good to experience that.
“I haven’t really had conversations about what I need to do, it has more been telling me to keep doing what I’m doing and we’ll see what January brings. That’s when my loan ends as it stands, so I’m kind of in the dark on what will happen after that.
“I just want to keep pushing myself as far as I possibly can. At the end of the day, I think that comes down to what the coaching staff sees for me.
“That will be a conversation I’ll have with them – can I be pushed one step further? What is the next step? It’s hard to say right now.”