Saturday 4th June 2022
RYAN BLAIR could have been playing for Stevie Farrell a year ago. Or two years ago.
Now, at the third time of asking, it has happened.
The midfielder checked into Dumbarton today, signing a one-year deal after leaving East Fife at the end of last season.
As a product of the Falkirk youth academy, and having spent three and a half years rubbing shoulders with high-profile players at Swansea City, it’s a chance he’s determined to make the most of.
It is also the first opportunity since his return to Scotland to play on his preferred surface.
Speaking to dumbartonfootballclub.com, Ryan said: “I’m looking forward to it. I spoke with the manager and it all sounded good and I will look forward to getting started next week.
“I’ve previously spoken to the manager, not just this summer, but the past couple of close seasons as well.
“This time around, I just see it as a good fit for me. I like playing on grass surfaces and it just feels right for me at this point in my career.
“My time at Swansea was a good time. I learned a lot from the players I worked with, having gone there when I was 18 and spent three years there.
“The likes of Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer were probably the best I worked with there.”
Ryan also has ambitions for himself and Dumbarton during the time he spends with the club.
He added: “Personally I want to start my goals by cementing a place in the team.
“From a team point of view, we want to finish as high up the table as possible, with the playoffs being the minimum we are looking to achieve.
“I think it will be a good league this year. There are not any stand-out teams with a big budget or anything so it should be competitive.
“There will be a good few teams aiming high, but we should be aiming for the playoffs at least.”
Dumbarton Football Club