Brora Rangers striker helped team to win Highland League for fifth time in their history
There was emotion, pride, and a touch of disbelief as Connor Bunce soaked in the moment after helping Brora Rangers secure the Highland League title.
For the former Clachnacuddin player, who only joined Brora in January, it has been a whirlwind few months — capped off with the biggest achievement of his career to date.
“I can’t put it into words to be honest, how this season has gone,” said Bunce.
“Going from making a difficult decision by leaving Clach and openly saying I did it to become a Highland League champion — doing it in the first half-season feels amazing.”
The 23-year-old made the switch to Dudgeon Park with clear ambitions, and few could have predicted how quickly they would be realised. His impact on and off the pitch has been felt — even if he now faces the frustration of watching from the sidelines as Brora prepare for a historic cup final against Fraserburgh at Grant Street Park tomorrow.
“I’m sad to be sidelined due to being cup-tied for the final,” Bunce admitted.
“But it is something the boys are buzzing about. To have the opportunity to do something Brora have never done before and win a treble will really spur them on.”
Brora now face a stern test in the form of East Kilbride in the play-offs for a shot at SPFL promotion. It’s a fixture that promises intensity and high stakes, and Bunce knows exactly what’s at stake.
“There is no hiding how tough it will be against East Kilbride. They won the Lowland League by so many points and were dominant, but you’ve got to have the belief — and me and the boys feel we do.”
This season marks not only a footballing high point for Bunce, but a personal one too. After a difficult spell that saw him fall out of love with the game, he credits a period of reflection — and one important phone call — for reigniting his passion.
“I fell out of love with football. I took a year out of not just playing, but watching it too,” he revealed.
“I think it was a blessing in disguise — it gave me the spark again to fall back in love with football.”
That turning point came thanks to Brian Ritchie, his under-20s coach at Clachnacuddin, whose belief in Bunce proved pivotal.
“If it wasn’t for my 20s coach at Clach, Brian Ritchie, I would probably be playing Amateur League football right now,” he said.
“I had told him that I was going to give up and play Amateur, but he phoned me and asked me to do one more year with Clach — and that was the year I broke into the first team. I never looked back from there.”