County in swoop for Motherwell man Hylton
ROSS COUNTY have signed winger Jermaine Hylton from Motherwell, with the 27-year-old Englishman expected to go straight into the squad for tomorrow’s trip to Ibrox.
The former Swindon and Solihull Moors player had an impressive debut season at Fir Park, scoring four goals in 41 games, but all five of his appearances this term have come off the bench.
County boss Stuart Kettlewell, who has allowed Josh Mullin to leave the club, said after capturing Hylton for the rest of the campaign: ‘Jermaine is a great addition to our group. He’s a player I’ve liked for a while and we’re delighted to be able to take him to Dingwall.
‘There’s no doubting his pedigree, given the part he played in Motherwell having such a successful campaign last season and taking them to Europe. He has pace and technical ability which are exactly the kind of qualities we want.’
Fellow County new recruit Michael O’Connor is determined to make sure another big chance doesn’t go to waste for him in Dingwall. The 22-year-old striker, who could also make his debut at Ibrox tomorrow, has made the move across the Irish Sea from Waterford three years after seeing a dream switch to Burnley collapse.
Clarets boss Sean Dyche thought he had unearthed a rough diamond in the then Shamrock Rovers player — only to have second thoughts after discovering off-field issues involving a gambling problem.
Those damaging seeds were planted during his time as a youngster at Dundalk and O’Connor admits he was in danger of going off the rails after joining Linfield in 2018, placing bets of up to €100 a time. However, with the help of girlfriend Aisling, his family and Waterford boss Alan Reynolds — who signed him permanently last summer after a successful loan spell — O’Connor is back on track. In a bid to stay on the straight and narrow, he persuaded Reynolds to give him the captain’s armband and responded by firing the Blues to the verge of a Europa League slot before joining County.
O’Connor, who has been handed a two-year deal by Kettlewell, said: ‘Those problems are behind me. The past is in the past and this is a new chapter for me. It (gambling) did rule me out of going to Burnley but everybody makes mistakes. ‘I would be lying if I said I was ready back then to move across, because I wasn’t.
‘But I rejoined Waterford and became club captain at 21. I put my head down for a couple of months and it’s taken me here to County, so I know what working hard can do for you. It’s brought me this opportunity and I’m going to take it with both hands.’