Dylan McGlade swaps Longford for promotion rivals Bray Wanderers

Coveted winger Dylan McGlade has joined former Premier Division side Bray Wanderers ahead of the upcoming 2019 First Division season.

There was plenty of speculation regarding the former Middlesbrough prodigy’s future during the off-season with a return to Longford Town and Shelbourne being touted as a possibility.

However, he’s brought an end the speculation by signing up with Longford’s rivals for promotion from the second tier. 

After re-joining Longford after a spell in England with Blyth Spartans, McGlade took the First Division by storm, grabbing many of the headlines in Longford’s ultimately unsuccessful pla-off push.

Dubbed the ‘Messi of the Midlands’ after some fine showings over the summer months, McGlade scored 15 goals for De Town, his scintillating form seeing him get a nomination for the PFAI First Division Player of the Year Award.

Injuries and general fatigue halted Longford’s play-off push significantly last year as the likes of Sam Verdon, Jamie Hollywood and Dean Byrne all missed out on a critical stage in De Town’s season.

McGlade’s arrival to Bray is a signal of intent by manager Gary Cronin who has gone about his off-season business impressively.

The triple signing of Derek Daly, Dylan Barnett and Paul Keegan from Waterford have all boosted morale around the Carlisle Grounds, where Bray are looking to return to the Premier Division at the first time of asking.