Pars head north for summer sun

Plans for Dunfermline Athletic to meet the most northerly team in the Highland League in a pre season friendly on Saturday 17th July.

Wick Academy agreed recently to award a testimonial for their long-serving midfielder Craig Shearer, and a group of supporters are currently putting together a programme for the year - the showpiece event being a pre-season match against Dunfermline Athletic.  The clubs are currently discussing the detail of the fixture.

He has since started 270 league games for the club and made nine appearances as a substitute, while in cup competitions he has clocked up 36 starts and come off the bench once.  In the scoring stakes Shearer's vital statistics are 37 HFL goals and nine in cup ties. He first found the net 10 years ago on February 5, 2000, in a 4-2 home defeat by Huntly.

Shearer's popularity with team-mates and fans is shown by his having won the players' player of the year and supporters' player of the year awards on several occasions.

The main event will be a match against Dunfermline which is pencilled in for the afternoon of Saturday, July 17, while a sportsman's dinner will be staged on a date in October.  A golf day is also planned.

Alistair Ross, one of the testimonial committee, said: "Craig has proven himself to be a fantastic servant to Wick Academy throughout the years.

"His spirit and never-say-die attitude are an inspiration to his team-mates and to the supporters alike.  He is a valued asset to the team and is one of those players who quietly goes about his business both on and off the park.

"We are very pleased that Craig has been granted a testimonial and are very excited by the prospect of welcoming Dunfermline Athletic to the Harmsworth Park to mark his achievements."

He added: "We hope to have a successful testimonial dinner in October when Craig has pledged to donate a proportion of all monies raised in support of local charities throughout Caithness. That in itself speaks volumes about him as a professional footballer and as a person."