Graydon signs for Longford Town as Verdon commits for another season

New Longford Town manager Gary Cronin has wasted no time in linking up with one of his former players as Ryan Graydon arrives at Bishopsgate for the 2022 season.

The former Bray Wanderers wide-man began his career with Bohemians and starred for their underage sides from 2015 until 2018, with the club winning the Mark Farren Cup (Under-17) in 2016 and the Enda McGuill Cup (Under-19) in 2018.

Graydon has Republic of Ireland Under-19 experience, having faced the Czech Republic in a friendly at the RSC in September 2017, while he also played in the European Youth League with Bohemians the following season.

He scored three goals in cup competitions in 2019 for the Dalymount Park outfit before signing with Bray Wanderers for the shortened 2020 season. 

Having netted three times in the First Division, Graydon returned to the Carlisle Grounds for 2021 and scored another trio of goals for the Seagulls, as well as a brace of assists as the Wicklow men reached the play-off stages for the second season in a row. 

Speaking with ltfc.ie, Graydon was positive for 2022, “I’m happy to have signed for Longford for the upcoming season. The start of a new chapter. I can’t wait to get going and hopefully play a big part in helping the club get back to the Premier Division.”

Graydon’s former Bray Wanderers teammate Sam Verdon has also been announced as a Longford Town player for 2022, extending his second stint at the club having started his career in the St Patrick’s Athletic underage ranks.

After winning a League Cup with the Saints in 2016, Verdon first joined Longford in the summer of 2017, scoring twice for Neale Fenn’s men in the First Division before netting another nine in the 2018 season as the Town finished just outside the play-off positions in fifth.

Following a brief spell at Finn Harps, Verdon joined Longford Town ahead of the 2019 season. Eight goals in the league helped Fenn’s side reach the play-offs, where they were defeated on penalties by Cabinteely before his six strikes in the shortened 2020 season helped the Midlanders to promotion. 

He began the 2021 season at Bishopsgate before switching to Bray Wanderers midway through the campaign and his final game of the season saw him face his brother Adam’s UCD outfit in the Promotion/Relegation play-off game.

It was defeat for older brother Sam, however, speaking with ltfc.ie the 26 year-old is eager to put that disappointment behind him by returning to his former club and link up with manager Cronin.

“I’m delighted to be back at the club. It’s a club I have a great affection for. The opportunity to come back and play for Gary and his staff was just too good to turn down. Hopefully we can achieve what we did at the club in 2020.”