Breaking transfer news! Kane signs deal!

26th May 2023

After months of speculation and mountains of column inches in the nation’s press, a former London-based footballer called Kane has made a decision on his club for next season. But will he be wearing red or white next season? The answer is neither – it’ll be black and gold!

That’s right folks, Kane O’Connor (who else could we have been talking about?), has put pen to paper to become the latest player to join Stuart Malcolm’s squad for the 2023/24 season. O’Connor predominantly plays as a defensive midfielder, but is also capable of performing anywhere across the back line.

He may not be ‘one of our own’, but 22 year old O’Connor comes to Shielfield Park with an excellent pedigree behind him. After beginning his career in the academy at Hibs, he was then signed by Brentford B – where he featured in a squad alongside current Brentford first team squad members Mads Roerslev, Mads Bech Sörensen and Paris Maghoma. He was also capped five times for Scotland at under-17 level.

After two seasons at Brentford B, O’Connor returned to Scotland for spells at Cowdenbeath and Elgin City. Most recently, he was with Tranent Juniors in their inaugural Lowland League season. O’Connor was a virtual ever-present in the Tranent side, making 31 league appearances. He scored two goals and was a stand-out in the matches against Berwick last season. His efforts played a key role in earning the East Lothian club a fifth placed finish in their first season at this level, but O’Connor will be hoping to better that outcome with the Dream Team next season.

O’Gers boss Stuart Malcolm was very pleased to finalise the transfer, saying, ‘This is an absolutely huge signing for the club. As soon as Kane became available we were very keen to make contact with him and try to make a deal happen. I’ve got to thank the Berwick board for supporting me to act quickly. In short, I’m delighted to get a player of Kane’s ability.’

Speaking about O’Connor’s qualities, Malcolm went on to add that, ‘Although we already have very good players in the midfield areas, Kane gives us something different as a defensive midfielder. We know he can play a number of positions, but we see him playing predominantly in that defensive midfield role. He is exceptionally good on the ball. He can see a pass and pick one out as well. He is a great size, he is athletic, he isn’t afraid of a battle, and demands high standards from his team mates. He will move the club forwards, and help to push us on to finish higher than we did last season. We are all looking forward to welcoming Kane to the club in pre-season, and welcome him aboard!’

O’Connor will meet up with his new Berwick team mates when training for the new season begins in late June. Berwick fans will have their first opportunity to see Kane in action during the pre-season fixtures, which begin at Shielfield Park on Saturday 1st July.

Kane will be sponsored by Elite Driver Services, and the club would like to thank the Edinburgh-based business for their support – in particular founder members Stevie Carroll and Raymond Conlan. For more information on what Elite Driver Services offer, please visit their website: http://www.elitedriverservices.co.uk/. A representative of the company said, ‘We are delighted to be associated with Berwick Rangers, and look forward to seeing Kane O’Connor in an exciting and promising team next season.’

Player and coach sponsorship is a great way to take your support of the Dream Team to the next level, or to promote your business to a wider audience. Packages for the men’s team for the 2023/4 season are now available to purchase at a range of price points, via this link: https://store.berwickrangers.com/products/player-kit-sponsorship-2023-24?variant=43714819031208. Player sponsorship for Berwick Rangers Women will be available to purchase soon – stay tuned to the club’s website and social media channels for more updates.