Defensive duo return to the ‘Loons’

Manager Gary Irvine is delighted that following discussions over the weekend, he can now confirm the return to Station Park of both Roberto Nditi and Tomas Brindley.

Both players trained with the squad on Saturday prior to putting pen to paper on two-year contracts.

For many fans, it will be the first opportunity when the season commences seeing Roberto in the flesh.

He originally headed north from non-league football in Sussex in late January of 2021 having been a graduate of Reading’s academy system to join the Athies on an amateur registration.

He proceeded to make eleven ‘closed door’ appearances for Forfar in the remainder of a truncated season but impressed many supporters who witnessed his performances on the right or in the centre of the defensive set-up through the club’s at the time live streaming service.

Roberto was also according to the BBC pundits in attendance the Man of the Match in our narrow 1-0 defeat by Dundee United in the nationally televised last sixteen Scottish Cup tie in April of that year.

That performance alone probably alerted Queen of the South to his ability and he realised his wish of a return to full-time football by signing a one-year contract with the ‘Doonhamers’ twelve months back.

Last season he made 30 starting appearances for Queens as well as four as a sub but was not offered an extension to his contract by the new management team at Palmerston in May.

Tomas arrived at Station Park in the early part of this year on loan alongside Steven Warnock from Kilmarnock.

Once he broke into the ‘Loons’ starting line up the left-sided defender who made two first-team appearances for the Rugby Park side was a regular in Gary Irvine’s lineup.

 By the conclusion of the campaign, he had made 13 starting appearances plus one from the bench.

Disappointingly for Tomas who is Ayrshire born and bred he was not offered a new deal with by Killie following their promotion to the Premiership and despite interest from a few clubs, he has decided that a return to ‘weel kent’ pastures is the best option for his next step in his football career.

Both players will of course feature in the first instance in Forfar’s pre-season fixtures which commence with a visit from Dunfermline Athletic on Tuesday the 28^th of June.