Elgin City manager Gavin Price is hopeful of adding another loan signing ahead of Saturday’s long-awaited return to League Two action at home to Edinburgh City.
The Black and Whites are preparing to return from a shutdown of nearly three months, with Leagues One and Two having been suspended in January following the national lockdown due to Covid-19.
Having only played nine games, Price is hoping his side can quickly rediscover the momentum which has taken them to second place in the table.
The City boss has already boosted his squad by bringing in Archie Macphee for a fourth spell at Borough Briggs, with the defender returning on loan from Formartine United last week.
Price also added former Ross County midfielder Tony Dingwall on a deal until the summer shortly before the season was put on hold.
Price feels Macphee’s familiarity with the club will be a key asset, and he also hopes to have another loan addition in place when they Moray outfit hold their final pre-match training session on Thursday.
Price said: “We will hopefully have another loan player coming in on Thursday.
“We are trying to maintain that consistency with the squad we’ve got and the style of football we play.
“Archie knows all about his team-mates. It’s not necessarily a brand new player coming in that needs to learn the dressing room and our style of play.
“He knows how we want to do things, so that was why I thought he was a really important one to get in.
“We’ve got good footballers on the left side of the park.”
Elgin received a further boost yesterday when they secured striker Josh Peters on a new two-year deal, which will keep him at Borough Briggs until 2023.
Peters joined City last summer after leaving League Two rivals Stirling Albion, having previously played for a number of lower league clubs.
The 24-year-old began his senior career with Highland League side Strathspey Thistle before winning a dream move to Hibernian at the age of 19 in January 2016.
After just six months at Easter Road, Peters moved on to Forfar Athletic before making the switch to Livingston.
An initial loan return to Forfar became permanent in January 18, with Peters having since had spells with Queen’s Park and the Binos prior to his move to Elgin last year.
Peters has established himself as a regular in Price’s starting line-up, and although his only goal for the Black and Whites came in a Betfred Cup triumph over Montrose he has formed a strong attacking partnership with leading scorer Kane Hester.
Peters joins a number of players who have committed their long-term future to the Moray side in recent months, including Hester, Thomas McHale, Brian Cameron and Matthew Cooper.
Price feels Peters can benefit from a period of longevity at Elgin, adding: “Josh has fitted in really well to the dressing room. He has had a good impact both on and off the park, he fits in with the culture of the club.
“It’s good to get him signed on a longer-term basis. He’s an important member of the squad.
“From speaking to Josh he has not spent a lot of time at any club. It’s important that he beds himself into a club as it doesn’t always help going from club to club.
“It will be good for him to enjoy that consistency.
“He knows he’s wanted here. He has done well, he has done everything I have asked of him so far and he will continue to improve.”
Elgin will face Highland League side Keith in a bounce game at Kynoch Park tonight, having drawn 0-0 in a friendly away to League One side Forfar on Saturday.