Strathspey Thistle confirm Bobby Beckwith as new manager
The Jags have announced that Bobby Beckwith will be taking over as manager of his hometown team.
The former Rothes assistant faces a busy summer at Seafield Park as he tries to turn around the fortunes round of Highland League strugglers.
Strathspey Thistle chairman Donly McLeod has confirmed the appointment of Beckwith.
He takes over from caretaker boss Mike Rae who oversaw a difficult run-in to the end of the season for the Jags with the help of Charlie Brown and Robbie Flett.
Former Thistle defender Fraser Tulloch and well-known Strathspey and Badenoch welfare man Josh Horton are also joining the Grantown club.
The pair both have plenty of knowledge of the local football scene.
McLeod said: “Bobby Beckwith is taking over as manager and Fraser Tulloch and Josh Horton have come in on the club’s management committee.
“We need to improve the situation from last season. It has been a turbulent few weeks.
“But it is a case of onwards and upwards - we have to look forward.
“Bobby is a local lad and he has a load of experience in the game. He has been assistant to Ross Jack at Rothes and a youth coach at Clach.
“He has one or two boys coming in as coaches to assist him and hope to confirm these arrivals in the next couple of weeks.”
“I do not want to say more than that for the time being.”
Beckwith was one of the key players in the formation of Strathspey Thistle as well as main striker.
He later went on to be the coach of the Strathspey Thistle Boys Club which won the Highland Youth League in a play-off against a strong Peterhead side.
Beckwith was then manager of then Moray junior side Lossiemouth United before going on to be assistant manager of Elgin City when they gained entry into the Scottish League.
He also had similar roles with Turriff United, and Lossiemouth and just recently stepped up from assistant manager to interim boss at Rothes.
Beckwith had a stint as Clach ladies manager too.
Strathspey Thistle are appealing for financial backing from the local business sector to help them to progress on and off the pitch.
“We could do with some help,” said McLeod, “and if there is anyone interested in supporting us then we would be delighted to hear from them.”
Donly McLeod can be contacted on 07858 510715.
