Waterford make statement of intent with Pádraig Amond signing

Keith Long has enticed the striker to the south-east ahead of the Premier Division campaign.

Tue, 23 Jan, 2024 - 12:59

John Fallon

Pádraig Amond is bolstering Waterford’s strikeforce for their Premier Division return by coming back to the league he departed in 2010.

The Carlow native initially moved from Sligo Rovers to Portuguese side Paços de Ferreira but it was in the English lower leagues, where he lined out for Accrington Stanley, Morecambe, Grimsby Town, Hartlepool United, Newport County and Exeter City, that he excelled.

Most recently with Woking, the 35-year-old is cutting short his contract at Michael Doyle’s National League outfit to relocate his young family to Ireland.

Dubliner Doyle, who moved into management after spells at Celtic, Coventry City and Leeds United among others, has reluctantly accepted his striker’s wishes, conscious of concentrating minds on avoiding dropping into the relegation zone. The wheels on Amond’s LOI return were in motion before he was appointed boss four weeks ago.

“It’s disappointing about Podgie to be honest,” Doyle told the club’s official website. “He’s a great professional and was speaking to the club before I came about doing what was best for his family by moving back to Ireland.

“I got that knock on the door on my first day. He was adamant he wanted to move back home with the young kids. I had a chat with him to stick with him over Christmas because nothing would get done until January.

“I tried to turn his head to see the season out but unfortunately it was too good of an opportunity for himself and his family.

“It’s hard to keep a player here against his will. He handled himself brilliantly but he was in with me quite a lot wanting to move on.

“Going forward we need everybody focussed on our situation. We can’t have anybody looking sideways or backways. We’re fighting for our lives.

“Something I learnt early in my career is that the name on the front of the shirt is more important than the name on the back.

“As much as we’re gutted to lose Podgie, we need everybody focussed on staying in the division.” The Blues are the closest League of Ireland team to Amond’s home county and he was linked with a switch there 12 months ago after Jon Walters had assumed the role as Director of Football.

Keith Long has recruited former Bohemians defenders Darragh Leahy, Kacper Radkowski and Robbie McCourt but has was on the lookout for a proven striker since losing top scorer Ronan Coughlan from his side that clinched promotion through the playoffs.

Coughlan notched a club record haul of 37 goals in all competitions over 2023, earning an 18-month contract from Fleetwood Town, the English League One club also owned by jailed fraudster Andy Pilley.

After recruiting Gbemi Arubi from Shelbourne, the Blues were interested in his Reds teammate Jad Hakiki but it’s believed a planned swoop for St Patrick’s Athletic forward Tommy Lonergan went cold.

Amond fits the bill for what’s required on their comeback to the top-flight.

His goals in two memorable FA Cup runs for Newport County earned him a call-up to the first matches of Mick McCarthy’s second Ireland reign in 2019, albeit the provisional rather than final squad.

A renowned prolific goalscorer, his experience will also be crucial to a Blues squad that features wonderkid Romeo Akachukwu.

Southampton lead the chase to recruit the teen but he will remain with his local club until at least July when he turns 18 and eligible to join a UK club.

The fee commanded by the under-contract player could easily rise to rival the half a million euro initial fees Shamrock Rovers received for Gavin Bazunu and Liam Scales.

As part of their build-up to the season opener against Damien Duff’s Shelbourne at a likely sold-out RSC on February 16, Long brought his squad to England last week.

They played two friendlies, losing against Fleetwood to a brace from Coughlan and defeated a Manchester United’s U21s side featuring player-coach Tom Huddlestone and Amad Diallo at Carrington by the same 2-0 scoreline. Polish winger Kasper Skwierczyński was part of the squad on a trial basis and could become another addition.