Hartley deals in United youngster to boost squad

Cove Rangers have signed Dundee United midfielder Archie Meekison on loan for the remainder of the season.

The 17-year-old signed professional terms with United in the summer but has been involved with the club for around 10 years.

He represented Scotland schoolboys in the 2019 Centenary Shield and is a graduate of the Scottish FA Performance School Programme at St John’s.

Manager Paul Hartley said: “I would like to thank Robbie Neilson and Brian Grant for giving us the opportunity to work with Archie. He’s a player we know well as he was in training with us at the end of last year.

“United speak very highly of him so he will be a good addition to the squad and I’m sure the spell at Cove will be good for his development.”

He will wear the number 22 shirt and goes straight into the Cove squad for today’s Ladbrokes League Two clash with Stenhousemuir at Ochilview Park.

Meekison was an unused substitute for the Dundee United first team on two occasions earlier this season.

Fellow United defender Nathan Cooney has been loaned to junior side Carnoustie Panmure.

Meanwhile Cove stand top of League 2 with 11 games to go, holding an eight-point lead over second-placed Edinburgh.

Being in the title picture is familiar territory for Cove, having won three of the last four Highland League crowns, but the level of competition has gone up a notch.

Midfielder Connor Scully added: “There’s 11 games to go. We just have to approach each game like any other and hopefully pick up maximum points.

“We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. We’re quite a grounded group. We never thought we’d be here.”

They travel to Stenhousemuir today, returning to the ground where they suffered their first defeat as an SPFL club.