Cove Rangers: Championship next, but how far can Aberdeen side go?
- Published
Scottish League 1 champions Cove Rangers have secured a third promotion in four seasons
Aberdeen, generally regarded as a one-club city, has a new force on the horizon.
The North Sea waves crashing in at Cove Bay may seem small for now in the Scottish football landscape, but more are starting to take notice of the rising tide at Cove Rangers.
The Scottish League 1 champions, who were playing Highland League football as recently as 2019, have secured a third promotion in four seasons.
After seeing off Airdrieonians in the third-tier title race, Paul Hartley's side will play Championship football next term.
Keith Moorhouse, Cove chairman since 2000, tells BBC Scotland: "When I think of when I first got involved with the club to where it is today, it's an incredible achievement.
"It's been a night-and-day scenario, playing Queen's Park at Hampden in contrast to playing at Fort William. We've come a fair amount of miles in a short space of time.
"But we don't want to stop where we are. We want to push to the next level. We're an ambitious bunch."
Double heartbreak 'real catalyst' for success
While Cove have only recently risen to SPFL prominence, they were a dominant force in the Highland League prior to their promotion - winning six titles in their final 12 seasons in the set-up between 2007-08 and 2018-19.
The introduction of the pyramid system in 2014-15 presented a gateway to the senior leagues and Cove got their first chance to escape the fifth tier a season later, but heartbreak was suffered before the highs.
They were beaten comfortably by Edinburgh City at the semi-final stage in 2016 before a final defeat by Cowdenbeath in 2018 - two events Moorhouse picks out as defining moments in the club's success.
"Over the years, we've used negative moments as catalysts," he says. "If we think back to the Edinburgh City play-off, they ran all over us. We used that to look at what we needed to bring in for the following season.
"But the Cowdenbeath game was probably the real catalyst. It was the real motivator to go that one step further the following season. Thereafter, it was about the strength of the squad and management team. That's where are right now."
The five-year plan
Moorhouse refers to a five-year plan that kicked off when Cove ascended into League 2 at the expense of Berwick Rangers in 2019.
The beginning of that coincided with the statement appointment of the current manager, former Scotland midfielder Hartley, with predecessor John Sheran moving to a director of football role.
With financial backing, eye-catching transfer business followed. A backbone of local players was burnished by the likes of former Hibernian and Dundee United midfielder Fraser Fyvie and prolific lower-league striker Rory McAllister. They were simply too good for League 2.
"When Paul arrived, we agreed we'd make the Championship within five years," Moorhouse recalls. "Along the way, we aimed to become a full-time club as well.
"When you think back to where we were at that point, it was a fairly ambitious target, but for us it was about being ambitious."
Aberdeen youth product Fyvie adds: "It's an enjoyable club to play for. A lot of my friends I grew up with at Aberdeen youth teams all play here together. That part of it is great and trying to be successful at the same time is really good."
Championship ceiling or sky's the limit?
Moorhouse insists Cove will not get carried away, but promotion to the second tier is a remarkable feat for a club that were playing non-SPFL football in 2019.
But what about beyond that? Championship title challengers Arbroath have shown what is achievable with a part-time model. So could Cove dream of Premiership promotion and join city rivals Aberdeen in Scotland's top tier?
"It's a great thought, but it's not something we'd dream about at this point," Moorhouse says. "We know we still have a tough job in hand to get to where we need to get to and we're under no illusions.
"As for a two-team city? I wouldn't go that far yet. Cove Rangers are Cove Rangers, Aberdeen are Aberdeen. They're a successful Premiership club. We're still cutting our teeth in the SPFL.
"But, if we're still there in 20 years, who knows?"