A tough choice to let Meechan move

Forfar Athletic boss Gary Irvine has discussed the difficult decision in allowing captain Ross Meechan to leave the club.

The 27-year-old joined West of Scotland side Darvel earlier this week, with the Loons pocketing a five-figure fee as part of the deal.

Irvine admits it was tough letting his trusted team-mate and skipper depart.

Meechan changed job outside of football and his new hours, coupled with travelling across Scotland for training, were starting to take a toll.

The Forfar gaffer was left with little option but to allow Meechan to join a club closer to home and is now focusing his efforts on finding a replacement

“Ross leaving was a sore one for us,” Irvine told Courier Sport.

“It was hard for myself and Ross.

“He was very close to me, he was my captain.

“When it came to the decision, with his work being too much for him and restricting him a bit in his preparations for games, we just had to come to that decision. It’s important now to get a good player in to replace Ross.

“I’ve been working hard on trying to get a player in at the full-back position – on both sides.

“With our loan players going back from last year, Tomas (Brindley) and Luke (Strachan) going on the left side as well, full-back is the priority for us.”

Forfar supporters will have welcomed the news of two new faces to the side in Nathan Flanagan and Ben Armour.

Both attacking players put pen to paper on oneyear deals.

Irvine has finally landed striker Armour after an attempt to sign him last season.

A loan move from Alloa had looked to be on the cards in February but a change in management at the Indodrill Stadium saw that scuppered.

Armour, 24, then saw his

first-team opportunities at The Wasps limited and has now grasped his opportunity to join the Station Park side.

Flanagan, meanwhile, joins The Loons from Stirling Albion, where he featured 31 times last campaign.

The 25-year-old attacking midfielder previously had spells at Raith Rovers, Annan and St Mirren, where he began his career in 2016.

Irvine revealed both players are familiar to him and assistant Gary Harkins and gave an insight into what they can bring to the team.

“Ben, being a striker,

ticks a lot of boxes: he’s strong and can hold up the ball and he has a bit of pace about him,” he said.

“Gary has worked with him before at Morton.

“It was important for us that we knew what kind of character he was.

“Everything I’m trying to do is about getting the right people in to complement the group.

“They are good lads and they want to work hard and Ben is that. Equally, I’d say the same about Nathan. He has a great attitude.

“He’s someone that I’ve worked with at St Mirren. He was a young boy coming through when I was a player there.

“I’ve worked with him as a team-mate and played against him.

“He has a real creative flair to him – but I’m going to challenge him to get a few goals under his belt too.”

Meanwhile, back-up goalkeeper Lewis Sanderson has agreed a further one-year extension to his contract.

The 21-year-old stopper’s current deal was due to end but he has decided to stay on with the side.

Forfar now have 14 players contracted for the upcoming season, with the club reassuring fans that they are continuing their efforts to add more.

CLOSER TO HOME: Ross had to leave, but Loons’ priority now is a replacement.