'Drogheda feels like home' for Buckley as he signs for 5th year

Drogheda United have completed the re-signing of defender Lloyd Buckley, who will be eligible for Friday’s First Division league opener against Finn Harps.

 

This will be Buckley’s fifth season with the Boynesiders, making him their longest serving player, having first joined the U-19 side in 2014 before making his senior debut during Johnny McDonnell’s tenure in charge in 2015.

 

Speaking to extratime.ie Buckley explained why he has happy to re-sign with Drogheda.

 

“I’ve signed back for a fifth year here because Drogheda feels like home and I want to get the club back to where it should be.”

 

The versatile 21-year-old, who can both at right back and in the centre of defence, made 13 league appearances in 2015, scoring twice, in back-to-back games against Cork City and St. Patrick’s Athletic.

 



Drogheda were relegated on the final day of the 2015 season but Buckley signed back the following season and made 16 appearances as Drogheda were promoted back to the Premier Division via the play-offs.

 

Buckley played with the Drogs again on their return to the Premier Division in 2017 but injury saw his game time limited to 14 competitive appearances across league and cup competitions, five of which came as a substitute.

 

He now signs for Tim Clancy team’s – with Clancy being the fourth different Drogheda manager he has played under after Johnny McDonnell, Mark Kinsella (interim) and Pete Mahon.

 



The defender came on as a second half substitute in Drogheda's first pre-season game against Bohemians and headed home the winner in the 68th minute as the Boynesiders' won 2-1.

 

Buckley is hoping his injuries from the past two seasons are behind him and he is focused on Drogheda’s first match against Harps.

 

“Personally I want to play as many games as possible this year. Over the last year or two I picked up niggly little injuries here and there which has stopped me.”

 

“We are all concentrated on our first match against Finn Harps, the last seven weeks (pre-season) has went very well so we are all buzzing for Friday to come and hopefully a good team performance and 3 points to start us off.”