Bellslea Park, Jamie Beagrie Testimonial, 5/7/25
Me still 349, Wee Man still 210
Fraserburgh Football Club
Founded – 1910
Nickname – The Broch
Honours – Highland League – 1932/33, 1937/38, 2001/02 and 2021/22 Highland League Cup – 1958/59 and 2005/06, Aberdeenshire Cup – 1910/11, 1937/38, 1955/56, 1963/64, 1972/73, 1975/76, 1996/97, 2012/13, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2022/23. Aberdeenshire Shield – 1991/92, 1993/94, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1999/00, 2011/12, 2015/16, 2019/20, 2022/23 and 2024/25 Qualifying Cup – 1957/58, 1995/96 and 2006/07
The first pre-season friendly for us means we now enter the 2025/26 season and a good place to start at Bellslea, one of my favourites in the land. What better way to do it than in a fixture that in the days the two clubs shared the Highland League was the first fixture some looked for.Local rivalry that is rarely seen these days. It was also a chance to see the new upgrades to Bellslea, this being the new vantage point behind the South goal. A decent raised view from there now with the raised standing area in place of the old grassy bit. The day was about one man though, I remember him when he was a nipper kicking a ball about on the touchline at Cruden Bay JFC when his dad was the gaffer and my pals played. That makes me feel old thinking about that. Since he has become an established HFL player he has had a penchant for scoring when Wee Man and me are in attendance watching the Broch. I would also be almost certain that outwith Scott Barbour, Jamie has scored the most. A player I have a lot of time for as I do his club. It was good to see a decent sized support come out for him.
I was wondering how this game would go, would it be pre-seasony? Would it have a bit of bite? Would Peterhead have too much due to the two division gap? I really did not know. What did transpire was not something I thought would be the case. This being the Broch being the far better team for large swathes of the game. The first half was all them. They were winning the battles (I was enjoying the Barbour v Brown tussles), they were creating the chances and Peterhead clad in a coming to the end of a cold snot coloured top instead of their usual blue were doing pretty much nothing.As stated the Broch had chances, Callan Gray saw a header go past the post from eight yards out. One of those you cant help but think should have been buried, Jack Newman was left rooted to his line watching. Gray turned provider for Broch talisman Barbour but he dragged his effort wide. Next up was Kieren Simpson who attempted a diving headed effort, the big defender made good contact but saw the effort also sail wide.Joe Barbour in the Broch goal was literally a spectator in the first half, as were Peterhead’s forwards as the Blue Toon never got far enough up the park to get them involved.
HT 0 v 0
Half time substitute Logan Watt almost made an immediate impact when inside the first minute created a chance for himself but it was saved by Blue Toon sub keeper Oluyemi. The play in the first few minutes of the half was all in the Peterhead box. The Broch were awarded a corner, Barbour took it (well out the quadrant I may add) and sent it to the back post. It looked to be Oluyemi’s but the keeper got caught under it it leaving Mr Testimonial himself to nod in from a couple of yards. What did I say about him scoring when we are there. Questions need to be asked of the goalkeeping but Beagrie will not care as he scored on his own day, just like Willie Miller once did, however the Aberdeen captain scored in his own net. On the topic of Aberdeen, ex-players and League Cup winners Cammy Smith and Peter Pawlett had entered the fold for Peterhead and it was the latter who had the only real chance for the visitors when after a bit of a stramash in the box he attempted an overhead kick which had was net bound but was cleared off the line by Simpson. That was really it for close calls for Peterhead. Joe Barbour did not have to make a save all game. Not one, just a few routine catches dotted across the match, the keeper could have nipped into the corporate enclosure and had a pint and nobody would have noticed. Prior to the game I was wondering about any kind of bite. It wasn’t there but there was an incident where Logan Watt shoulder barged Arran Smith flying into the Peterhead dugout. Watt in another game could have been in trouble but as it was a testimonial it was a wee talking to only. The Broch introduced the young loons and removed a few of the older heads, one being Scott Barbour which led to the striker having a blether with me over the sponsor boards. Another player I have a lot of time for and one who is due a testimonial next season he was telling me. Calling Aberdeen FC. Beagrie himself was subbed off to a full ground applause with a couple of minutes to go and that was it. A decent win for the Broch, ok the old “its only pre-season” may be uttered but I thought they played well throughout. Lets see how they fair in the greatest league in the world this coming season. Good luck to them and to Peterhead, now up a division.
By the time we had returned home Peterhead had announced the signing of Niall McGinn. Pawlett, Smith, McGinn, who is next Rooney? Langfield? Low?
Entrance – Me £10, Wee Man £5
Attendance – Big
Pie – £6.40 pie, coffee and sweetie
Pint – £4.30 Tennents and J20, Leisure Centre
Score Predictions -Me 1 v 3 , Wee Man 0 v 3
Season Score Prediction Totals – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 