Elgin want more of the Weir effect

Elgin City manager Gavin Price hopes to secure the services of Jim Weir for the longer term. Ex-Montrose, Arbroath, Brechin and Forfar manager Weir recently confirmed he’s weighing up the chance to continue his work with the Black and Whites after returning to the club in March to assist Price.

Weir, whom Price replaced in the Borough Briggs hotseat in 2017, has made a positive impact since his return.

With Elgin determined to get back into promotion contention next term, Price revealed talks are ongoing.

He said: “I would like Jim to stay on and I am doing all I can to make that happen.

“There is certainly a role for him at the club, even if it was just on Saturdays. Jim seems to be enjoying being back involved and I would like to make it a longer-term arrangement.

“With assistant manager Steven Mackay here too, we have a good structure.”

Elgin goalkeepers Daniel Hoban and Oliver Kelly have signed one-year contract extensions.

Hoban, 24, nudged Thomas McHale out of the team and has amassed 18 appearances, mainly between February and this month.

Kelly, 20, will gain experience next term with a loan switch to Highland League side Strathspey Thistle.

Price said: “We have two excellent keepers in Daniel and Thomas, while Olly will go on loan to Strathspey Thistle next year.

“It has been a long time since Elgin has been in this position. The club has relied on loan keepers in recent years, but we now have two first-choice keepers who bring one another on and they work very well together.

“There really hasn’t been much between them.

Thomas has been unlucky where, through work commitments, he lost his place.

“Daniel came in and was very good and kept a clean sheet, so I couldn’t leave him out. However, it will be a fresh start for them both next season.”

Elgin round off a disappointing League 2 campaign away to Stranraer tomorrow with the sixth-placed hosts two places and seven points better off than City.

A 4-1 win home loss against improving relegation play-off side Cowdenbeath last weekend was a sore one for Price.

The manager feels the players have to learn next season how to better deal with falling a goal behind after what was a goalless first half.

He added: “It is important, particularly after Saturday, that we do all we can to end the season on a high note because you don’t want it to end like it was against Cowdenbeath. It was a flat second-half performance.

“We have to guard against that. It’s important because we still have a chance to finish one place above where we are now. We have to make sure that happens.

“I thought we played well in the first half. We made a mistake for their first goal, but we were still relatively in control of the game.

“We reacted horrendously to losing a goal and that has been a problem this season.

“When we have conceded the first goal, we have not shown the composure to get back into games.

“That is something we have to look at in detail next season. You are not always going to get things your own way.”

Elgin striker Kane Hester, meanwhile, has been included in the PFA Scotland’s League 2 team of the season after scoring 17 times.

CITY SLICKER: Veteran boss Jim Weir has made a big impression since his return to Borough Briggs.