Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Brown out at Utd as Glass returns
DUNDEE United defender Troy Brown is to leave the club next month as his short-term deal comes to an end.
The 29-year-old centre-back checked in at Tannadice back in September but made only five appearances in tangerine – last turning out in a 2-0 win over Dunfermline in late October.
United boss Robbie Neilson has confirmed Brown will return to his native England when the January transfer window opens next week – with young midfielder Scott Banks also able to move on a pre-contract.
“We were just talking and we had different dates for when his deal ends. I thought it was the 15th and he thought it was the fourth,” he said.
“What we do know is that his contract is coming up in January and we have had a chat.
“Troy has been great for us but I just feel that, with Paul Watson coming in and doing so well and Mark Connolly coming back, we have enough there.
“He will get himself back down to England and look for a new club.”
There will be other movements in the United pack, with boss Robbie confirming their transfer plans after a meeting with sporting director Tony Asghar.
“In January, you always have a few guys knocking on your door.
“They want to find out what their situation is. You want people who will play so there will be comings and goings.
“I had a meeting yesterday with Tony so maybe we will have one or perhaps two coming in.
“We would like to bring freshness to the squad. I think it’s important to do that.
“There are two important things – we have to improve the squad and they also need to be good characters because we have a good group.”
One of those leaving on loan will be Logan Chalmers to Arbroath until the end of the season, while Declan Glass will return from Cove.
Robbie added: “We are trying to get that done (the Chalmers deal) and I think it will be great for him.
“Also, Declan Glass will come back to us so we have a number of younger players we are trying to move to the right level.
“It is about getting the game time they need.”
Robbie hopes to add one or two, with a midfielder and an attacker the priorities.
However, he has confirmed they will not be pursuing Raith Rovers’ 17-year-old forward Kieron Bowie.
“We have had him watched and a number of other teams have, too, but that’s not one we will be moving forward with.
“In my opinion, the boy needs to stay there a wee bit longer and develop. He has good potential but I have had a chat with his manager John McGlynn about different things and he is of the opinion that he has to stay where he is.”
On the contract front, with Paul Watson and Sam Stanton’s deals up at the end of the season, Robbie insists it is a situation they will be monitoring closely.
“The two of them have done very well recently. We will just give it a few weeks before we decide what we want to do because I think it’s important that we don’t get carried away with this whole situation we are in just now.”