Football: Glens add duo to squad

Nov 7 2012 by Douglas Dickie, Rutherglen Reformer

Glencairn may have been left kicking their heels last weekend when their game with Thorniewood United was called off but boss Willie Harvey has still been busy.

The gaffer added two new faces to his growing squad, in the shape of striker Paddy Flannery and versatile full-back Steven Baillie.

The pair put pen to paper last week and are in contention for Saturday’s trip to Maybole.

Flannery brings with him vast experience in the senior game, having scored 77 goals in 175 appearances for Dumbarton.

His other previous clubs include Greenock Morton, Stenhousemuir, Irvine Meadow, Linlithgow Rose, Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic, Arthurlie and Hurlford.

Despite the strikers being bang in form, Willie felt it was too good an opportunity to miss when Flannery became available.

He said: “When someone like that comes on your radar, we will ask if he can add anything to what we have got and if they can, we’ll pursue it.

“It keeps the strikers on their toes, just reminds them they need to keep scoring.

“He’s a senior player and has played for some big clubs.

“We heard it wasn’t working out for him at Hurlford and brought him in for a chat, made sure he would fit into our wage structure, and he did. He just wants to get back to playing football.

“It’s not a case of him being better than what we’ve got, but he will add something to what’s already there.”

Baillie, who was pointed out by Stevie Aitchison, is very much at the other end of his career, and signs having impressed in the recent friendly against the Scotland side.

Primarily a right back, he can play wide right as well as in central midfield where his physical presence may prove useful, but Willie insists that wasn’t the main reason he signed him.

Willie said: “He has decent pedigree, he’s a young lad who is very fit and very physical. He will bring a bit of extra energy as well as competition for places.

“We already have players who can mix it physically, like Dean Muir and Sean McGuire.

“Sean is small but will run through a brick wall for you. He might not be the strongest but he has the heart of a lion.

“Dean is strong , he’s maybe not tall but people don’t push him off the ball.

“I’m not getting away from how we play by bringing in physical players, Steven would need to add something as a football player, but maybe with his strength to help close things down towards the end of games.

“Our squad is very much a work in progress.”

Willie was disappointed not to get a game in last week, with the goalmouth at the railway end of the Clyde Gateway Stadium again doing the damage after heavy rain. With Burnhill also out of commission, the squad was left to enjoy a Saturday afternoon off. But Willie hopes they can avoid too many more spare weekends before Christmas.

He said: “It was annoying that the only part of the pitch that was unplayable was the goalmouth, but the ref was right, you couldn’t take the chance.

“It was disappointing more than surprising because it’s that end we’ve done the work.

“The groundsman works his socks off but that goalmouth just keeps giving us problems.

“We want as many games played before Christmas.

“Hopefully it won’t happen again as we will be putting a canopy over that goalmouth if it rains.”