The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Lichties snap up young Kosovan
Arbroath have announced the signing of former Dundee United midfielder Florent Hoti. The 21-year-old has put pen to paper on a shortterm deal after leaving the Tannadice side in the summer.
The Kosovo Under-21 international joins the Lichties after a trial with League One Peterhead last month.
Courier Sport revealed that Jim Mcinally had been keeping tabs on the combative midfielder.
Hoti even featured for the Blue Toon as a trialist in recent clashes with FC Edinburgh and again last weekend against Montrose.
However, Dick Campbell has swooped in to land the youngster.
Hoti could make his debut for his new side today in their huge clash with Cove Rangers.
The midfielder joined up with his team-mates this week in training.
He hopes to help lift the side up the Championship table.
“I’m really happy to be here,” Hoti told Arbroath TV.
“The experience of me being up here for the last couple of years at Dundee United will help me.
“I don’t think there is too much of a difference between the leagues.
“I was watching on last season, especially with the game at Killie hoping they’d win. It didn’t go the way I, and Arbroath, wanted but you could see that capability to be fighting at the top.
“Hopefully, we can start to climb the table and get as many wins as we can.”
Hoti joined United from Rochdale in the summer of 2020 and went on to make 13 senior appearances for the Tangerines, playing a part in victories over Aberdeen and Hibernian.
The Manchester-born player also notched two goals in nine appearances during a loan stint with Forfar Athletic and has represented Kosovo seven times at under-21 level.
Meanwhile, Lichties striker Kieran Shanks has the chance to stake his claim as the club’s top striker, boss Campbell says. The 20-year-old forward started his fourth league game for the club last weekend, bagging his side’s equaliser against Inverness.
After his second league strike of the season, Shanks looks set for another start in the Lichties’ crucial home game against Cove.
The young striker was signed in the summer from Inverurie Locos as “one for the future” but, given Arbroath’s lack of goals, Shanks could be given a platform to shine.
Campbell says the former Aberdeen youth prospect has earned his place in the team after impressing in recent weeks.
“Shanks will start the game because he deserves to,” he told Courier Sport.
“It’s up to him now to show me he wants to be the main man.
“It’s been a problem for us all season but we’re getting near the window again so I’ll certainly be bringing players in.”
An away win at Gayfield would see Campbell’s men fall eight points behind the Aberdeen side, with the top seven in the league beginning to break away.
The Lichties boss doesn’t believe the result will determine the course of the season but hopes his side will put in a better display than they did in their first encounter, losing out 2-0 at the Balmoral Stadium last month.
Arbroath look set to be boosted by the return of skipper Tam O’brien to the squad, but the clash will come too soon for Scott Bitsindou and Scott Stewart.
“Tam will play and Dale Hilson is back fully fit,” Campbell said.
“The only two missing are Scott Bitsindou and Scott Stewart.
“The second-half performance last week sent a clear message that there is no negativity at our club.
“There is a long way to go. I’ll see how the game goes tomorrow.
“It’s a big game. The poorest we have played this season was against them – that annoyed me – so I’m looking for a massive return tomorrow.”