CLACH captain Gordon Morrison has signed a three-year contract extension with the Highland League club.
This news comes just 48 hours after Colin Williamson and Alan Pollock rejected the chance to extend their stays at Grant Street.
As we went to press, boss Iain Polworth said: "This is massive - Gordon has been very important for the club. He has won Highland League player-of-the-year (in 2010-11) and for him to show a bit of loyalty and stay at the club is massive.
"When players the calibre of Gordon are staying, it entices players from other clubs to come and also boys out of contract to stay at the club.
"We are trying to build a squad and it is not going to happen overnight, but by signing a three-year contract Gordon will help with that."
Polworth, meanwhile, spoke of his disappointment at Williamson and Pollock opting to seek moves elsewhere at the end of the season.
He brought the players to the club, having seen their potential in ICT's youth set-up, and knows he faces a tough task in trying to replace the out-of-contract pair.
The manager said: "The board of directors took the decision to place the players on the transfer list because they both indicated they would not be staying at the club when their contracts run out at the end of the season.
"It is disappointing, but they have a right to go and speak to other clubs, and for the years they have been here, they have been quality Highland League players. It is going to be very difficult to replace them, and I am trying to build a nucleus of a squad here, but it is something we just have to deal with."
A full squad is something Polworth will hope to have in the coming months, as Saturday's postponed match against Lossiemouth was their eighth in a row, and means the Grant Street side have not played a competitive game since December 23.
This Saturday, Clach are set to travel to Strathspey on league business.
The fixture pile-up may demand teams to play as many as three times a week, in an attempt to complete the season in time, and Polworth knows the challenge his side will face.
He said: "When we get playing again, it will be interesting to see how the different teams cope. Those with bigger squads will be OK, but, from our point of view, with so many away games, it will be tough.
"Many of those games are in the Aberdeenshire area too, and organising time off work for the players gets very difficult.
"I would actually rather get one of those games out of the way this weekend, as opposed to Strathspey, because it is so much closer.
"If the game does go ahead, I am sure the players will approach it in the right way.
"They trained all over Christmas and the New Year, and then didn't get a game, and they would much rather play, so I have no worries there."
Polworth will be without long-term injuried star Iain Penwright for this weekend's trip to Seafield Park.
