Squad of 23 footballers begins training for encounters with Orkney and Western Isles

A squad of 23 footballers will this Sunday begin training ahead of the senior county side’s fixtures against Orkney and the Western Isles later this year.

Manager John Jamieson had been hoping to take a team south to play some friendly matches in March, but those plans were hit by the bad weather which caused a flood of cancellations nationally.

Options to find opponents on the Scottish mainland are still being looked at ahead of next year’s NatWest Island Games in the Isle of Wight, but nothing has been set in stone as yet.

The pool announced this week sees the return of Delting’s prolific veteran midfielder Ross Jamieson after a long injury lay-off which caused him to miss last year’s island games. There are also call-ups for young Celtic defenders Joel Bradley and Robert Smith, along with Spurs wide man Sam Ward, Whalsay forwards Bryan Irvine and Keith Pearson and Whitedale duo Piotr Drozdowski and Alan Johnston.

The squad – from which the team to take on Orkney in July will be chosen – is to train at the Clickimin hockey pitch every Sunday from noon to 2pm and at Gilbertson Park every Wednesday from 6.30pm to 8pm. All players are asked to meet at Clickimin’s outdoor changing rooms at 11.45am this Sunday.

Full squad: Erik Peterson, Paul Grant, Gary Jamieson, Joel Bradley, Robert Smith, Richard Arthur, Lewis Kay, Merv Jamieson, Piotr Drozdowski, Ross Moncrieff, Leighton Flaws, Karl Williamson, Ross Jamieson, James Johnston, Sam Ward, Joe Leask, Ross MacDougall, Erik Thompson, David Thompson, Neil Laurenson, Keith Pearson, Bryan Irvine, Alan Johnston.