Michael McGrath signs for Galway United

Ian Foster confirmed, among other things, on Wednesday night that the club had signed former Kidderminster Harriers midfielder Michael McGrath on a year long deal. McGrath, 23, was tipped for big things at the Conference club after he made 31 appearances last season, but had only made one substitute appearance since August and it was confirmed in mid January that the player had had his contract terminated by mutual consent as McGrath sought to find regular first team football.

United are also looking to bring in Stockport County's Irish striker Declan Edwards on loan until July, when his current contract expires. Foster discussed the merits and reasons for tracking both players after Wednesday's friendly with Cork City.

"It's a great opportunity for them. It's a young squad, they're young boys, they want to play first team football. You'd be surprised how many players you speak to who are happy to sit in the stands on a Friday night and not play. It's refreshing when lads say "I just want to play" and I'm not guaranteeing anybody first team football, but they'll have opportunities here cos we won't have a big squad."

Regarding other potential players who were recently involved in friendlies with the club, Foster is still hopeful that something can be worked out in relation to David Breen but admitted that Darren Stapleton would not be joining the Westerners.

"Darren we won't be taking. He's just not what I was looking for, that's not to say that he's not a very good player. David I'm speaking to on a daily basis. It's just a difficult one geographically with him working full-time in Waterford. It's just a case of how much I would see of him. That's something he's speaking about with his employers and something we're discussing. It's still a possibility."

Reflecting on the strength of his current squad, Foster admitted that getting affordable quality was the main issue for both him and the club and that this was realistically lessening his options. "There's a couple of places we could strengthen, maybe a couple of defensive positions, maybe one more in midfield.

"You've just got to look at quality, somebody with quality and most importantly on the right money. If that comes about, then I'd love to do it. There's not a mountain of players, availability wise, who want to come to Ireland or want to come to Galway and they're affordable as well. It's a lot of hard work but we're getting there. We're not too far off."

Another player likely to sign in the next few days is David Cooke, who was released by the club at the beginning of last season. "We've made an offer to David. He's been with the club previously, he's a local boy, he's at University. His fitness is fantastic. He's improving technically, we're working on him, we're coaching him and he's been exemplary in training. He had a fantastic match up in Finn Harps and he did well for an hour tonight. We've made an offer and hopefully we'll find out in the next 24 hours."

United have recommenced training at Salthill Devon's facility in Drom and Foster is happy with how the pre-season has gone to date. "The lads come in at 3pm for a 3.30 start and we can get a couple of hours work into them in the light. We're back at Drom, which is great and we're getting hard work into them. The lads are having a go at me because we're part-time but the training schedule hasn't changed from last season. I've been very selfish. I've got to get as much work put into the players as I possibly can and I've got to see them as much as I can. If they've got work commitments I'll let them away. If lads have got classes at university then that takes priority, but they've been fantastic. A lot of them have been to most of the sessions, so it's been good."

A wry smile passed across the Liverpudlian's lips when he was asked for his thoughts on the opening fixture for the new season, away to St Pat's, one that he felt may have been a bigger event had it taken place at Terryland Park. "It just made me smile. They hand pick these fixtures and we just knew it was coming. I think if they had thought a bit harder about it, they would have put it here.

"I don't think many people in Inchicore will be that bothered about it, but if they'd have played it here, you'd be talking almost a full house. People (in Galway) want to have welcoming a committee for Jeff. I would have been pleased if it was here but I'm not disappointed it's there. You've got to play them sometime and we'll go and enjoy it down at St. Pat's."