Joy as Jack gets his man
Eckersley signs new deal as three are released
Adam Eckersley has penned a new two-year deal with St Mirren, much to the delight of boss Jack Ross.
And the full-back insists he didn’t require any convincing following a stunning six months since his arrival.
He becomes the first member of the squad to put pen to paper on a new contract since the end of the season.
The 31-year-old has become a mainstay since joining St Mirren in the wake of a stint in Canada at NASL side FC Edmonton.
The former Hibs and Hearts man went on to make 15 appearances as part of the Saints’ escape from Championship relegation.
Eckersley said: “It was a pretty easy decision. I believe in the project that is going on here.
“I’ve seen enough over the last few months to say this place is going in the right direction and I want to be a part of that.”
Eckersley’s new deal has been met with delight by manager Jack Ross, who played a pivotal in bringing the Englishman to the club in the first instance, having previously worked alongside him at whilst a coach at Hearts.
Ross hopes the defender’s commitment to the side will prompt others to join him in signing up in the coming days, as he revealed that several contract offers have been dished out to members of the first team.
Ross said: “Adam was a player that I was very fortunate to get in the first instance.
“I think my previous relationship with him allowed us to get him in in January.
“He was terrific and I think he got better with each passing week.
“It’s the first part of retaining this squad. I think it’s a reflection of how much he has enjoyed his time at the club.
“He didn’t know an awful lot about the club when he joined, but I think he’s been surprised at what has happened over the last few months and the support we’ve received.
“I think supporters will be delighted as well because I think they’ve been impressed by him and they’ve also recognised he’s got better with each passing week.”
Meanwhile, Ross confirmed that Andy Webster, Ben Gordon and Jordan Stewart will not be offered new deals by the Paisley club.
Ross added: “We have some players whose contracts are coming to an end that won’t be renewed. Ben, Andy and Jordan are in that category.
“We have others that we’ve started discussions with and it will be an ongoing process. The one thing I am keen to do is get everything done as quickly as possible because I would like our squad in place for the start of pre-season.”