Goalkeeper Daniel Hoban is targeting February return with Elgin City – boosted by signing a deal to stay at Borough Briggs until 2025.
The 24-year-old shot-stopper has been out of action due to injury since playing in a 3-2 League Two win at Bonnyrigg Rose almost two months ago.
SIGNING NEWS
We are delighted to announce both Goalkeepers have signed contract extensions. ✍️
Thomas and Daniel will remain at the Club until Summer 2025.
Safe to say we are in safe hands. Well done lads.
⚫️⚪️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/elQi9Uksad
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) December 24, 2022
He’s now just weeks away from surgery to correct the matter and hopes to be pushing Thomas McHale for a start again soon after that.
The two keepers last week signed contract extensions with the Moray club, with Hoban stacking up 14 appearances so far, with 27-year-old McHale set to match that at Forfar Athletic on Monday.
Bosses and Hester led way with deals
Former Inverness youth Hoban, who has also played at Brora Rangers and Forfar, didn’t have to think twice when boss Gavin Price asked him to pledge his future to the club.
He said: “When I joined Elgin after leaving Forfar it was all about getting game-time. It hasn’t all been plain-sailing, but I have had good game time at the club and I’ve enjoyed it at Elgin. They have been brilliant with me over the past season and a half.
“When the gaffer asked me, there was no question over whether I was going to extend my deal. There was no hesitation.
“It helped that the management team signed up on new deals earlier in the season. When you know the manager is going to be there for a similar time, it’s much easier.
“I also helps that Kane Hester has also signed up for the next two years and he’s part of my car pool, which makes travelling easier.”
Any slip-up costly for either keeper
It’s clear Hoban and McHale drive one another on and the former believes it’s bringing out the best in them.
He said: “Thomas and I know it’s important to keep pushing one another. It has been shown that when one of us is not performing then there is no issue when the other keeper comes into the team.
“It is up to us to ensure we keep that number one spot. I was pleased to hear Thomas has also signed a new deal alongside myself.”
Surgery set – then for swift recovery
And Hoban explained how a non-football problem has kept him on the sidelines looking on, but now he’s got reason to be optimistic.
He added: “I just have a small issue which I need a bit of surgery on. I’m booked in for the middle of January and there is a relatively short recovery period, so I should be back available at the start of February, all going well.
“It is an issue with my bladder, which needed attention and it has kept me out of football.
“My last game was at Bonnyrigg on November 5 and it has been frustrating, because my body feels fine, but I’ve been advised not to play football at the moment.
“It has been an issue for the past two years and it all came to a head the week following the Bonnyrigg game.
“It has been difficult watching from the sidelines. It’s difficult enough when you are on the bench, but when you’re not even in the squad, you’re just wanting to be involved and make an impact.”
Elgin City can get even better in 2023
Against league leaders Dumbarton, Elgin were edged out 2-1 away and crashed 4-0 at home, while against second-placed Stirling Albion last week they lost 2-1 at home after sharing four goals at Forthbank in August.
It means ahead of going to second-bottom Forfar on Monday, Elgin are third in the table, but eight points off second spot.
Hoban, however, feels the players can take note of mistakes from the head-to-heads against the front-runners and kick on in the New Year.
He said: “The team will take lessons from last week, put it behind us and put it into action against Forfar.
“The next game is the most important and the team is looking forward to putting it right.
“I’ve no doubt 2023 holds a lot of good things for us. The results between ourselves and Dumbarton and Stirling have been disappointing, but apart from the 4-0 defeat against Dumbarton, I don’t feel there has overall been a lot between us.
“If we can turn up on the big occasions, there is no reason why we can’t be even higher up the table than we are right now.”
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