Moon is happy to be back home
Mackay wants Montrose visit like the last
Stirling Albion midfielder Kevin Moon insists he has no regrets about swapping Perth in Western Australia to return to the Scottish version.
The 30 year-old (right) was born in Perth and grew up in the Fair City, beginning his career at St Johnstone and spending a decade at McDiarmid Park before spells with Alloa Athletic and Raith Rovers.
Moon spent a couple of years in Australia with ECU Joondalup SC, who play in the National Premier Leagues in Western Australia, before returning to Scotland in the autumn and last week he became Stirling’s
Stirling Albion manager Dave Mackay is hoping his side can reproduce their last performance at Montrose when they visit Links Park again on Saturday.
The Binos were idle at the weekend after their home game against Edinburgh City was postponed on Friday afternoon due to a snow-bound pitch.
But the milder weather conditions and Montrose’s artificial pitch should ensure Mackay’s men return to action.
Montrose are top of Ladbrokes League 2 but were beaten 3-1 by Clyde on Saturday and have now played three games more than second-placed Peterhead.
Albion managed an indoor training session at the Rangers Training Centre at Auchenhowie on Saturday afternoon and now face an important 90 minutes against Stewart Petrie’s side, having dropped out of the play-off places following the 4-3 defeat at Peterhead a week past Saturday.
Stirling lost 1-0 at home to the Gable Endies just before Christmas but won 3-1 on their last visit to the North Sea coast in September and Mackay admits a repeat of first signing of the January transfer window.
It’s been glorious sunshine Down Under in Perth with temperatures above 30C while Scotland is emerging from a freezing fortnight.
But Moon insists he is ready for a bracing afternoon against Montrose at Links Park this weekend where he could make his debut.
He said: “After the season in Australia, I wanted to take some time off but I maybe took longer than I should have.
“But as soon as the gaffer phoned me I was really keen on coming, especially having been with him and Frazer Wright at St Johnstone. I that display would be ideal. He said: “We have had a poor couple of months so we need to get ourselves going again to make sure we make these play-offs.
“We had a good solid performance the last time we went up there – we were very good defensively and also going forward and hopefully we can replicate that on Saturday.
“Everyone is looking at form and rece t results would have suggested Montrose against Clyde was a home banker but it just shows that it doesn’t always work that way.
“There is very little between the teams on their day and Clyde obviously went up there and performed well.”
Stirling now have three matches to catch up on – at home to Cowdenbeath and Edinburgh City and away to Elgin City — but Mackay isn’t concerned about a potentially congested calendar in the coming months.
He said: “It’s going to be busy but as a player myself, and now as a manager, I much prefer that. I used to love midweek games as a player.
“Whether you have to play three games in a week or not, the opposition are doing exactly the same and sometimes it can work for you.”
Meanwhile, the Binos boss hopes new felt it was a good option at this stage of my career. I feel I’ve still got a lot to give and hopefully I can get as many games as possible and help the team have a strong end to the season. I’ll work hard and give 100 per cent and hopefully get a couple of goals as well.”
It will be 10 years ago on Friday that Moon scored the winner for Saints in a 2-1 victory over Stirling Albion in a Division One game at McDiarmid Park but Albion fans signing Kevin Moon will give his side a boost.
He said: “Kevin is fit and available. He’s had a few training sessions with us and he’s looking sharp so he’ll be in contention for Montrose. He has definitely got good quality and he’s full of energy.
“He is a box-to-box player. He doesn’t mind the defensive side of things but he’ll also make good runs beyond to support the forwards.
“He’s at a good age and will hopefully come in and add that little bit of experience that we have maybe lacked.”
Mackay is expecting to add more new faces ahead of the transfer window closing next week but there are also likely to be departures from Forthbank.
He said: “A goalkeeper is obviously a priority and I’d also like to get a defender and a winger in if we can. It’s proving difficult at times to get players in – there’s not been too much action in that respect in any of the leagues really.
“There might be two or three who move out to allow them to play more games as well. I spoke to a couple and there might be others who decide they can get more minutes elsewhere, whether on loan or permanent, but it’s more likely to happen at the end of the window.” shouldn’t expect to see him score as many goals as his house-mate in Australia - former Hearts and Stirling striker Gordon Smith. Moon said: “Gordon played in the same team and has signed for another year. When I lived with him, I never heard the end about the goals he scored here! “I’ve never lost the passion for football because that’s always been my life but I needed a change of scenery and going to Australia helped. It gave me a new lease of life but I’m glad to be back.”