Dick Campbell has admitted that unfinished business at Forfar FC was a driving force in his decision to spurn the advances of Cowdenbeath.
The Loons boss had been top of the Fifers’ wish list following the departure of Danny Lennon to St Mirren, but as the Station Park side returned to training this week Campbell delivered a boost to the club with the news that he will remain at the helm for the Angus side’s second division return.
Campbell would have been free to walk away from the club he led to promotion play-off victory over Angus rivals Arbroath and told Courier Sport the Cowden approach had given him some hard thinking.
“Whilst the challenge really attracted me, I still feel I’ve got a job to do at Forfar and in the end that’s what helped me make my decision,” he said.
“I don’t know if the full-time thing was right for me just now and I just felt that I wanted to stay on at Forfar, to continue with what we are doing and see how far we can go.
“I’ve got a great rapport with my chairman, who I like a lot as a person and a chairman, and I think there is more to come from this club.”
He has also secured 11 of last season’s promotion-winning squad on new one-year contracts to join Jamie Bishop, Mark McCulloch, Barry Sellars and Chris Templeman who were already under contract for the season ahead.
Iain Campbell, Ross Campbell, Alistair Divine, Martyn Fotheringham, Graham Gibson, David Mowatt, Calum Smith, Andy Tod, Stephen Tulloch and Paul Watson all put pen to paper on Tuesday night, along with midfielder Darren Brady who hopes to make his return from long-term injury in the busy Station Park pre-season programme.
Former East Stirling defender Michael Bolochoweckyj is Campbell’s only close season capture so far and he hopes to add Kevin Fotheringham to the list of contracted players later this week.
“I need a striker and a wide player, but my big priority is a goalkeeper,” continued Campbell, who is working to line up a loan for a premier league stopper.
“I’m pleased that we’ve got things sorted out.”