Blues finally get striker

GLENAVON have finally found a striker!

Linfield youngster Mark Miskimmin has signed a two-year contract at Mourneview Park after the two clubs agreed a fee for his transfer.

The 22-year-old recently asked to be put on the transfer list at Windsor Park after his first team opportunities were limited last season with Mark McAllister, Paul Munster and of course Pete Thompson ahead of him in the champions’ pecking order.

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Since joining Linfield back in August 2005, Miskimmin has only made 19 appearances for the first team, scoring six goals and so in May, manager David Jeffrey reluctantly agreed to let him leave Windsor Park, alerting several other Irish League managers.

Linfield and Jeffrey had been hopeful that their young star would become a favourite at Windsor Park and after he scored the winner against Cliftonville in the County Antrim Shield semi-final back in October.

The boss had high praise for his young striker: “At the beginning of the season I was extremely frustrated with him because I knew he had such talent and he needed to apply himself so much better. He has taken the words of advice on board and he has put it into his game. He worked very hard in the reserves and then got his opportunity and since he came into the first team, he’s done exceptionally well.”

Miskimmin’s new boss Marty Quinn is confident that his new signing can carry that form into his Glenavon career and become the prolific goalscorer that the side has been missing.

“I’m very pleased with the signing,” he told the ‘MAIL.’

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“He’s a young lad with a bit to prove having been let go from Linfield. He was frustrated at not getting a run in the team and I think we can offer him that at Glenavon. He’s a natural goalscorer and has done well scoring goals any time he was in the Linfield team and scored a lot of goals for the reserves too.

“We hope that he’s the goalscorer we’ve been lacking. I think he’s a box player and that’s something we’ve been badly lacking in my time at the club. He concentrates on staying in the box and taking the half chances. I’ve a good feeling that he’ll be our goalscorer but time will tell.”

Linfield’s bitter rivals Glentoran had been strongly tipped to win the race for the striker with Daryl Fordyce going the other way but after that move broke down, Miskimmin showed his desire to join Marty Quinn’s ranks as Glenavon.

“When the swap deal with Glentoran didn’t materialise Mark came back to me and here we are, he’s now signed up. He came in on our terms and showed a willingness to play for the club. He’s only 22 and hopefully he can play off Tony Grant and link up with James Costello at times too,” said the Mourneview Park boss.

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