Mitchell pens fresh deal with Jeanfield
Jeanfield Swifts stalwart Mark Mitchell has signed a contract extension to remain at the club next season.
The popular goalkeeper continues to be an integral part of a Perth squad which currently sits sixth in the East of Scotland League Premier Division.
Now 35, Mitchell is enjoying his football more than ever and admits it was a straight-forward decision to pen a new deal at the Riverside.
“I don’t think the gaffer will have easier contract talks to be honest,” Mitchell admitted. “He said he wanted me to stay - and that was it.
“I wasn’t going anywhere else and, if I’m wanted at the club, then it’s an easy decision. The club is on my doorstep and, for me, it’s certainly the best club in Perth .
“Everything is going in the right direction and it’s certainly something I want to be involved in as long as physically possible. It was a no brainer.
“It’s a club I’ve been associated with for a long time. When the time does come, it will be hard to walk away.
“But if there is anything I can do in the future, whether behind the scenes or helping with the goalkeeping coaching,
I’d certainly be happy to do that.”
Mitchell was frustrated not to keep a clean sheet in last week’s 2-1 Tranent win, but highlighted the importance of the three points.
“We’ve cut out individual errors across the park and are getting the benefits with results now,” he said.
“The Tranent win was massive. We have games in hand but you always want to just get points on the board.
“They are third in the league, so hopefully the boys will be believing even more that we can compete with the best .”
Swifts manager Ross Gunnion paid tribute to Mitchell, saying his influence stretches much further than between the posts on a Saturday.
“He’s still performing very well,” Gunnion told the PA. “It’s three clean sheets in the last five games.
“Regardless of the age he is now, he is probably performing at as good a level as he’s ever done.
“Mark is definitely a leader off the pitch too and is one of the positive characters around the dressing room.
“I can’t recall too many training sessions that he has missed and he gets the benefit from that.”
More league action awaits Swifts tomorrow afternoon with a trip to Crossgates - they sit 10th - on the cards.
The teams played out a 2-2 draw earlier in the season and Gunnion said: “At the time we were really struggling with injuries and we should’ve taken more from the game. We were maybe lacking a bit of self-belief.
“Hopefully we can go down there and put on a show. But we’re under no illusions because they have some talented players and hard-working players.
“At this time of year it won’t be the prettiest of surfaces to play football on and it will be a battle, that is for sure.”
Swifts will be without Fraser Smith, Connor McLaren and Scott Smith this weekend, who are all on duty with the Scotland futsal team.
But Paul Simpson returns to the squad after serving his suspension.