The United squad was split down the middle with 45 minutes each for their first pre-season friendly at Annan on Friday night, and for new arrival Sam Lavelle it was a useful first introduction to his new team mates as he featured through the first half.
“That’s actually the first time he’s met the lads, because he only got here yesterday afternoon,” assistant manager Gav Skelton told us.
“He got off the train, came to the ground, had his medical, he’s played this game, then I think he’s going back down to London to sort one or two things out.
“Fair play to him for that. He’s one who will add to the group in terms of leadership skills. He played against us a couple of seasons ago and I think he’ll be a really big asset to us. The sooner he can get into training fully with us the better.
“Like I say, he has leadership skills, without a doubt, you can see that. He’s confident without being overconfident, and he’s assured, which is good.
“You could see in the Annan game, he lost one header and didn’t lose the next two, so it obviously annoyed him.”
Last week’s other new arrival was midfielder Dylan McGeouch, but it was slightly too close to the wire for him to be involved in that first friendly.
“He came up on the train, from down south where he’s been living from being with Forest Green last year, and we put through a bit of a session just to get him ticking over,” he explained.
“He’s going to move into the area and it’s always pleasing when they want to do that. Straight away you get a feel, he’ll demand standards, which for us to progress to the next level is what we need.
“As a player he’s very tidy, he’ll keep things ticking over for us, he’s very organised at getting people round him.
“I think that experience will be vital for us, especially the standards he demands. I know people who’ve worked with him and asked about him, and he definitely demands high standards.”
“With both lads, it’s easy to say but you want that balance, experience and energy. We’ve lost a bit of experience in terms of presence in the dressing room and those two are definitely going to give it.
“They’ll raise standards, demand standards, exactly what we want. The younger ones, it’s always important to get players on the up in their career. They’re trying to progress, it can be a stepping stone to be higher again. You’ve got to try and get that balance.”
