Elgin City defender Matthew Cooper is intent on helping the Black and Whites gain promotion to League 1 after signing a new one-year contract at Borough Briggs.
Right back Cooper has been a consistent performer for City since joining following his release from Caley Thistle in 2014, with 141 appearances for the Moray outfit. He netted the first goal of his career in a 1-1 draw at home to Cowdenbeath on the opening day of the League 2 season in August.
Elgin remain firmly in the mix to secure place in the promotion play-offs following an emphatic 3-0 victory over Stirling Albion on Saturday, with Gavin Price’s men making the trip to Annan Athletic this weekend in the first of four remaining games.
Macduff-born Cooper says the prospect of helping City gain promotion to the third-tier for the first time in their history made him keen to sign the extension which keeps him at the club until 2019.
The 23-year-old said: “It was an easy decision for me to sign for another year.
“There is a great group of players here who all have the same goal to get this club promoted, along with the management and backroom staff. It is a good place to be around.
“We still have our targets for this year firmly in sight, and that is the aim at the moment, but I am sure the manager will be trying to improve us again next season.”
Cooper has been forced to sit out of Elgin’s last two games against Berwick Rangers and Stirling due to a knee injury, with Cammy Eadie deputising at right back.
Former Aberdeen youth player Cooper is hopeful he will be fit to return for the trip to Galabank, and he added: “I will know more towards the end of the week about whether I can play this weekend.
“I have been troubled with a knee injury for a few weeks now, so that needed rested. Hopefully I will be good to go for what is another important game on Saturday though.”
