Defender can’t wait for new season after Hatters ‘hangover’

STOCKPORT County defender Sam Minihan says he is looking forward to “kicking on” with The Hatters, after the 23-year-old penned a two-year contract extension at Edgeley Park.

The reigning Young Player of the Year proved a big hit with the County faithful after joining the club last summer from Worcester City, and boss Jim Gannon was quick to secure the services of the marauding wing-back for a further two campaigns with the club.

Minihan again looks set to be a mainstay once again in the Hatters’ promotionchasing squad for the coming season, but revealed that the remaining players from last season suffered a “summer hangover”, after missing out on the National League North play-offs by one goal on the final day of the 2016/17 campaign.

But, after seeing the club bounce back from the highprofile departures of key men Danny Lloyd and Lewis Montrose, the right-sided defender was quick to look at the positives.

Minihan now believes the Hatters squad is stronger than ever.

“If I’m being honest, there was a bit of a hangover during the summer, a case of ‘what could have been’. To miss out by one goal was tough to take, but we do take positives. We had the best defensive record in the league, conceded the least goals, and we do feel there are a lot of positives to take into this year.”

“We’re looking in a really good place. Naturally everybody was gutted to lose Lewis and Danny, but it’s credit to the players we’ve brought in because the feeling is really positive,” explained Minihan.