Clyde F.C. – A Review of the Bully Wee’s Summer Signings so far
With the Premier Sports League Cup Group Stage set to kick-off in just over two weeks, Scottish League One club Clyde have recruited new additions to their squad, ahead of what will be their first season ground-sharing at New Douglas Park, home of Hamilton Academical.
In a pre-season update to Clyde’s official website on Wednesday night, manager Danny Lennon revealed that he is satisfied with the signings the club have acquired so far, saying “every player we’ve gone for so far, we’ve managed to get.” Lennon also gave insight into the process behind securing other potential deals: “there’s players we’ve identified and spoken to who are keeping their options open at the moment and that’s what we’ll do as well.”
At the time of writing; eight new players have arrived at the club over the summer, who will be participating in their fourth consecutive season in the third tier when the league kicks-off on July 30- and a couple will be familiar to the Bully Wee faithful…
Raymond Grant
The 25-year-old midfielder is no stranger to the Clyde support having been an instrumental part of the playing squad during their promotion play-off winning season in 2018/19. Grant departed the club in 2020 to join his father Peter at Alloa Athletic, before spending last season in League Two with Stirling Albion.
Grant competed in 99 of 101 potential matches during his first spell with the Bully Wee and he is now set to celebrate the landmark of 100 games the next time he pulls on the Clyde jersey.
Lennon is delighted to have the midfielder back at the club, but believes supporters have yet to see Grant at his best: “Not only am I excited to have him back in a Clyde shirt, I believe he is coming back a better player than when he left.”
Conner Duthie
The 25-year-old winger joins the club after his departure from League Two side Dumbarton, who were relegated from League One via. the play-offs last season. He has also previously played for Hibernian, Dunfermline Athletic and Stenhousemuir.
Duthie was named the Sons’ ‘Player of the Year’ having scored six goals last season, with one ironically against his new employers.
His performances during the previous campaign caught the eye of Lennon, who commented that he was “impressed” whenever he seen Duthie in action and that “there is much more to come for him”.
Steven Thicot
The 35-year-old French centre-back captained the France national youth squad which won the 2004 UEFA European U17 Championship and has also played in countries such as Spain, Greece, Romania and more recently Lithuania.
However, Thicot is familiar to the Scottish game having played for Hibernian from 2008-2011 and after 11 years has returned to sign for the Bully Wee.
Commenting on the signing of the experienced Frenchman, Lennon praised his skills as a footballer: “He has tremendous technical ability for a big centre-half and will suit our passing game well.”
Thicot in action for Hibernian in a SPL match against Celtic in 2009 at Easter Road (Image: Getty)
Kurtis Roberts
Midfielder Roberts joins the Bully Wee from a two-year spell at Stirling Albion, having previously played for Queen’s Park and Airdrieonians. The 27-year-old also spent time abroad on a college scholarship and with Cincinnati Dutch Lions in America.
On the signing of Roberts and the quality he will bring to Clyde’s midfield, Lennon said: “He will bring a lot of energy into the middle of the park and opposition players don’t like playing against him.
“We now have some great quality players signed up for our midfield next season, all with different attributes that will bring an exciting blend.”
Jordan Allan
The 23-year-old former Airdrieonians striker has joined Clyde on a one-year-deal, having previously played for Cowdenbeath and Forfar Athletic, whilst also spending four years south of the border with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Allan departed the Diamonds in the summer, having featured in their Scottish Championship promotion play-off final defeat to Queen’s Park. In addition, he made history on his Airdrie debut in 2013 as the youngest player in the British leagues at the age of 14.
The striker has notched up numerous of goals and assists, which will surely bring firepower to Clyde’s back-line for the coming season and Lennon believes he will add to those figures: “I am very excited to have him here at Clyde, where I think he can add to those stats considerably in his time here.”
Ross Lyon
Another player who has returned for a second spell at the Bully Wee is Lyon. The 24-year-old was at the club during their promotion winning season in 2018/19, having previously being part of the Rangers youth set-up.
Since his departure from the the club in 2020, he has had spells at BSC Glasgow, now known as Broomhill, in the Lowland League and Stenhousemuir in League Two.
Other players who have joined the Bully Wee this summer are 20-year-olds, Liam Scullion and Andy Rodden. Scullion, is an academy graduate from Hamilton Academical and has previously been on-loan to Stenhousemuir. The young midfielder was a trialist in three of Clyde’s Glasgow Cup matches last season and joins from Fauldhouse United.
Rodden is a left-back who has previously played for Partick Thistle and was recently at East Stirlingshire. The two players have penned one-year contracts.
Both Scullion and Rodden don’t have a lot of experience of SPFL football, however, having had a proven track-record in developing young players, such as John McGinn and Kenny McLean at St. Mirren, Lennon must believe he can unlock their potential to have promising careers in the game.
Clyde’s first competitive match of the 2022/23 SPFL season is against Hibernian in Group D of the Premier Sports League Cup on July 9.