Lenny Wilson played a pivotal role in Brechin City’s charge towards the Highland League title last season.
Keeper Wilson played every single minute of City’s 34 game campaign, conceding just 16 goals en-route to their championship glory.
But while City rightly celebrated that momentous success, they suffered pyramid play-off heartbreak at the hands of Spartans just two weeks’ later.
Brechin are now back in pre-season training ahead of their Viaplay Cup opener with Scottish Premiership side Livingston.
And Wilson believes City stars must use the agony and ecstasy from last season to drive them onto their ultimate goal of sealing an SPFL return.
“We have to use the feelings from both days to drive ourselves on,” said Wilson.
“They are two entirely different emotions but just as important to remember.
“At Buckie it was a real feeling of euphoria. You could see how much it meant to the fans, the players and everyone connected with Brechin.
“It was incredible to celebrate with the fans on the pitch and then back down in Brechin.
“Those are the type of moments that will stick with you for the rest of your life.
“You simply couldn’t write the script for that day.
“But just over a week later we came down to earth with the play-off games with Spartans.
“Losing that tie was heart-breaking, gut-wrenching – however you want to describe it.
“It was hard to then subsequently watch Spartans go up, thinking it could have been us.
“There was an inner-belief in our dressing room before the Spartans game that we could go up if we won that tie.
“But it didn’t work and as well as remembering the highs of the title win, we need to remember the lows of the play-off defeat.
“Next season will be very tough but if we did it last year then why can’t we do it again?”
Wilson can be enormously proud of his shout-out record in the Highland League.
He made 23 clean sheets in 34 games and shipped just 16 goals.
But while he’s proud of the way the team defended, he’s still cursing the ones that got away.
“When I look back on the 16 goals a lot of them were avoidable,” said Wilson.
“There were individual errors that we – myself included – wouldn’t be happy to see again.
“I know I’m being harsh, though.
“We defended really well as a team last year and that started from the front with Grady McGrath and Botti Biabi.
“We knew if we had a solid defence we’d have a real chance because we carry a real attacking threat.
“I hope it’s the same again next season. We’re up for the challenge of trying to win the league again and pushing for promotion.”
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