New Jags boss will have to wait a little longer to see if he makes return at weekend
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
New Jags boss Brian Ritchie and his players are waiting to see if their Highland League game away at Fraserburgh gets the green light.
League officials have said that a pitch inspection has been arranged for 8am tomorrow at the coastal venue.
Meanwhile a host of other matches have been called off because of the current cold blast.
If the match in Aberdeen-shire does get the go-ahead, it will see Ritchie in the managerial dug-out for the Grantown club for the first time in nearly a decade.
He was manager of Strathspey Thistle from 2011 to 2013.
However, it is unlikely to be a long-lived tenure.
It looks like the club has a new managerial candidate in their sights but does not want to give more details while Ritchie and his new assistant Craig Ireland have told the club they only want the jobs on a temporary basis.
Charlie Brown’s decision to leave that club after 18 months follows the departure of his number two Mark Holmes last month.
Ritchie wasted little time in speaking to players and staff following his interim appointment.
The club said he held a well-attended meeting at the ground during which he laid out his expectations of the players.
Assistant coach Robbie Flett, who is continuing in his role, was also in attendance.
Thistle chairman Donly McLeod said: “Brian put forward what he is looking for including turn-out at training which has been really poor.
“He wanted to sort that out and got a few of his points over.
“There has been a sad lack of numbers at training since the start of the season.
“Brian has told the boys in no uncertain terms that they have to turn up twice a week for training.
“He expects everyone to attend training and if they can not make it then to let him know 24 hours before.
“Some of them were calling Charlie and cancelling on the same night. He will not accept that.”
The club hopes that a change of manager might lead to the familiar bounce as the Jags look to pick up a season which has yielded just one victory which came away to Clach at the start of November.
McLeod said: “It is hopefully a new start with Brian and Robbie meeting the players. Their confidence is shattered with the run they have had this season.”
McLeod praised the effort that Brown had put into the job but results had not gone his way since the start of the season.
He commented: “It was Charlie who resigned. He felt that his time had come to leave the club.
“Charlie is a great bloke but he had come to the point where he felt that he could not take the team any further forward."
Mr McLeod added: “I have spoken to Charlie and he is always welcome back to the ground, and to watch a game.
“I hope maybe in time he might come back onto the management committee.
“We spoke at length and I thanked him for his big contribution over the past 18 months."
Mr McLeod added: “We will not be advertising the post as there is something else happening at the moment but I am not able to say anything further on this for now.”
The Breedon Scottish Highland Football League due to be played tomorrow which have now been postponed due to a heavy frost and snowbound parks are Wick Academy v Lossiemouth; Turriff United v Clachnacuddin; Keith v Banks O Dee; Buckie Thistle v Brechin City; Brora Rangers v Rothes; Huntly v Forres Mechanics; Formartine United v Inverurie Loco Works
