Grehan to remain with Albion

May 20 2009

STIRLING Albion assistant manager John O’Neill is delighted that striker Martin Grehan has committed his future to the club despite interest from elsewhere, writes David Ogilvie.

The 24 year-old was offered a deal by Second Division champions Raith Rovers and a number of other clubs were also rumoured to be keen on the talented frontman, but he has opted to remain at Forthbank for the coming season.

Grehan (pictured) once scored 32 goals in 33 games for Junior outfit Dundonald Bluebell and earned a move to Motherwell but he failed to break through at Fir Park, making one first-team appearance as a sub, and had a spell on loan at Forfar prior to joining Albion last summer.

Although he made a slow start with Stirling, scoring his first goal against Brechin in the middle of October, Grehan ended the campaign with 11 goals and formed a terrific partnership with David McKenna, who has also signed on for next season.

Ian Harty often featured up front in the first few months of the campaign and Grehan was sometimes used in an unfamiliar role wide on the left of midfield but flourished as the season went on and was named Player of the Year by the Supporters Trust and the Young Reds.

O’Neill said: “We are really pleased that Martin is staying on. Myself, Allan Moore and Roddy Grant have all spoken to him over the last few weeks to put forward our case. I know that he was offered a deal by Raith and there were rumours about other clubs but he has taken the view that another season with us will help him develop.

“I think he has really improved as a player over the course of the season and hopefully the fact he is staying will benefit the club and Martin. I think he got something like 11 or 12 goals by the end and there is no reason why he can’t improve on that tally next year. I think there is a lot more to come from Martin.

“We are now looking to bring in two or three players to strengthen the squad. We have people in mind and we have spoken to some of them but I don’t really want to name names at this stage because other clubs may be interested as well.”

Albion’s management team have still to sign their new two-year deals but O’Neill does not believe the financial uncertainty surrounding the club is an issue.

An unpaid tax bill of £41,000 is overdue for payment but O’Neill, who took in Saturday’s play-off game between Ayr and Brechin, said: “As far as I am aware that was down to a misunderstanding more than anything else. From what I’ve heard, I don’t think there is a big problem and I would expect we would sign the deal soon.”

Stirling Albion have lined up a pre-season friendly match with Ian McCall’s Partick Thistle at Forthbank on Saturday, July 11, kick-off 3pm. The teams met on the same venue last summer with the Jags running out 2-0 winners. Albion are also set to play Hibernian prior to the start of 2009/10 but that match is likely to take place at the Edinburgh club’s training centre at Ormiston, East Lothian rather than Forthbank.

Fixtures for next season will be published on Wednesday, June 17 but one team Albion will not face are Queen’s Park, who lost to Stenhousemuir in the play-offs. The Warriors take on Cowdenbeath for the right to join Third Division champs Dumbarton in Division Two next term.

The season is barely over but already the draw for the 2009-10 Stirlingshire Cup has been made.

Stirling Albion are in section one with Dumbarton and East Stirling, playing the Sons at Forthbank and the Shire away.

Falkirk, Alloa and Stenhousemuir will contest the other section.

Dates for the games are still to be announced.