Hooker Fraser Allan named as Howe of Fife captain for next season

The 24-year-old, boss of Cupar’s Tin Shed gym, will be backed up by vice-captains Andrew Harley and Brad O’Hanlon.

Allan had been a vice-captain of the Cupar club himself for the last couple of seasons and an occasional stand-in skipper and he says he’s looking forward to stepping up to that role on a regular basis.

“I feel pretty privileged to be given the opportunity to lead the team,” he said.

“I took on a little bit of captaincy responsibility towards the end of last season, so I feel like it’s a natural progression and I’m delighted to get the chance.”

He takes over from Jamie Thomson, Howe’s captain for the last three years.

The Fifers finished last season third in the table on 75 points from 20 fixtures and Allan says he’s hoping to help head coach Stewart Lathangie and his coaching team improve on that and challenge for promotion next time round.

“I think we’ve got a really good opportunity next season to push on for one of the top positions,” he said.

“They’re restructuring the league next season to make it ten teams and there are five teams coming down from National 2, so it’s going to be a lot tighter. Each game will be a pretty good contest, I think.

“It’s not going to be an easy season but I definitely think it’s going to be a good season for us.

“It’s not going to be easy at all but I think we’re in a very good position as a club, so I hope we’re going to do well.

“We’re going to give it our best shot and do everything we can to win the league next season.

“We’re already working hard behind the scenes in the senior men’s section and we’re already prepping for next year.”

Allan only turned 24 last Friday and he says being named as captain days after helping Caledonia Reds win their first Scottish inter-district championship since 2000 against South of Scotland in Glasgow were among the best belated presents he could have wished for.

Looking back on that 32-30 victory at Glasgow Hutchesons’ Aloysians’ Braidholm ground, also Reds’ first win against the South for 23 years, Allan, the only National 3 player in head coach Colin Sangster’s team, added: “It was an amazing result.

“It was a bit close to the wire at the end so we were pretty chuffed to manage it. It was pretty nail-biting at the end.

“It’d been a long time, so our coaching staff were absolutely delighted and the whole team were ecstatic. It was pretty immense.”

Allan says he’s hoping to get the chance to play for the Reds again next year and crossing his fingers that, if that opportunity knocks, he’ll have a few more of his club team-mates accompanying him, prop Euan Bissett having been the only other Howe player to make the regional representatives’ squad this time round.

“I’d absolutely love to do it again, and there’s definitely scope for a few other Howe players to join in next time round, I think,” he said.

“There are a few that can only narrowly have missed out on selection this time, so with another season under our belts as a squad, we’ll be looking pretty good for next time, I reckon.”