‘Drawbridge’ comes down on Registration Window

At midnight last night, the January registration/transfer window closed in Scotland.

From now till the end of the season Ladbrokes League 2 clubs such as Forfar Athletic can only sign players who were free agents at the midnight deadline or utilise if they are still available to them an emergency transfer signing which can be for a maximum 93 day period.

According to official figures this morning from Hampden, clubs in League 2 made forty-four new signings during the January window, as well as extending nine existing temporary transfers.

Relegation threatened BERWICK RANGERS led the way with eight new faces including two players from overseas clubs and former ‘Loons’ Michael Dunlop from Arbroath and Euan Spark on loan from Dunfermline Athletic.

STIRLING ALBION made seven new signings, a handful of them within the first week of the window opening.   Three of them were loan moves, while a few of them including former Station Park midfielder Willie Robertson went on to impress in their share of the spoils at Station Park on 14th January.

Four clubs brought in five new faces.

ARBROATH whom we meet on Saturday first made a double capture from Stirling Albion, Bryan Hodge and Eddie Fearns the players concerned, the three others all loan singings.

Brett Long who had a short spell at Station Park from parent club Dundee United was one of the five players snapped up by Barry Ferguson at CLYDE, while COWDENBEATH  who fielded three new faces against the  ‘Loons’ on Saturday past added another duo earlier in the week in the shape of Robbie Buchanan on loan from Hearts for a third time and Matthew Rooney from Portadown.

Kerr Hay’s move to MONTROSE saw their number of signings also rise to a ‘nap hand’, Dylan Thomas, Matty Smith and Matty Allan all signed earlier in the window on a temporary basis.

ANNAN ATHLETIC signed three newcomers fairly early in the window, while like ourselves EDINBURGH CITY and ELGIN CITY settled for two.  

In the Capital City, Gary Jardine brought in former Hearts midfielder Josh Walker after a spell in the Indian League alongside Lewis Allan another former Station Park player on loan from Hibernian.   Up at Boroughbriggs the new faces are Marc Williams released by Queens Park and David Brownlie on loan from Ross County.

Here at Station Park, Gary Bolan had always said he was more than comfortable with his squad, Eddie Malone and Chris McLaughlin the additions, while of course Eoghan McCawl’s temporary transfer was extended till May month.