Saints sign up key players

Jan 31 2013 by Andrew McNair, Galloway News

Stuart Cluckie

Saints have tied up several key players on new contracts for next season.

Boss Jim McCrossan is delighted to know he will have top striker Craig Rudd and captain Stuart Cluckie at the club next season

Defender Jim Kirk and midfielders Barry Whyte and Justin Nicholls have also signed on the dotted line at the Kirkcudbright club.

McCrossan said: Weve started the process of signing players up for next season and one or two have already committed themselves. Its a massive boost for the club.

Craig Rudd has been our top scorer just about every season he has been here. He is going for another knee operation in April or May but hopefully he will be ready to go at the start of next season. Hopefully - as he is a quality striker.

As for Stuart - a few clubs had started to sniff around him as he hadnt signed a new deal with us yet but he has decided to stop the speculation by committing himself to us. The same goes for Justin Nicholl. Im delighted.

We have a good squad of lads here but we are keeping an eye on what is happening round about us and Im sure well bring in up to three players by the end of the season as we have lost one or two. But only if they are of the right quality.

Saints are due to face Newton Stewart this weekend after the weather put paid to any football last weekend.

And the St Marys Park gaffer is already worried about the forecast.

He continued: The weather has been wild this week and rain is forecast for most of the week so I wouldnt be surprised to see another south whitewash.

Newton Stewart are a very difficult team to play against and they have improved a lot as the season has gone on. So its a difficult match to predict.