Liam Buckley: 'Brushy is a very important part of the squad and a great person to have within the group'

Richard Brush has re-signed with Sligo Rovers for the 2022 season.

The Englishman is now entering his tenth season at the club and Bit O’Red manager Liam Buckley is delighted to keep the experienced shot stopper at the Showgrounds for the season ahead, “Richard has been fantastic. He’s had a great career so far and there is more to come certainly.

“He has had to be patient and I don’t think luck shone on him at important points last season.

“Brushy is a very important part of the squad and a great person to have within the group. I think his influence has been felt in the last 12 months and it will continue to do so which is great news for everyone.”

37 year old Brush, whose first game for Sligo was in July 2006 against Shelbourne, has played in the League of Ireland for Sligo Rovers, Shamrock Rovers and Finn Harps as well as spells in the Northern Ireland Football League for Cliftonville and Ballinamallard United.

He played a number of games in the Europa League Group Stages for Michael O’Neill’s Hoops and was in goal for current England skipper Harry Kane’s first senior goal for Tottenham Hotspur - a 4-0 victory at Tallaght Stadium. 

Brush is the elder statesman of a highly rated goalkeeping department at Sligo Rovers- current number one Ed McGinty and his understudy Luke McNicholas have been involved in Republic of Ireland underage squads while Conor Walsh was named in the senior Sligo Rovers squad for their European encounters last season and is held in very high esteem at the club.

Paying tribute to his fellow ‘keepers at the club, Birmingham native Brush spoke to sligorovers.com, “I knew when I signed last season the quality of goalkeeper was going to be very high and it was certainly the case. 

“What has been shown is you have to be ready to play because three goalkeepers were needed to play at various points of the season and four to be in the squad. Anything can happen and that’s how all of us will approach it next year. 

“It was bad timing to pick up an injury during pre-season which obviously made it more difficult for the start of the season and particularly given the standing Ed had having been first choice for a couple of years. In over 20 years in a career, you pick up the odd injury of course, it can happen and it’s part and parcel of the game. 

“It was nice to be able to come back into a full-time environment and know I can be ready and compete in that setting. That’s no disrespect to the Irish League but it’s just a different experience because with the intensity day-in and day-out compared to part-time. 

“I’ve enjoyed working with all of the goalkeepers here and it’s brilliant that all of us will compete again next season. I’m really pleased to sign again and we all know we can be needed at any point so in pre-season that’ll be on the minds of everyone to be ready for day one.”

Karl O’Sullivan: ‘As an opposition player you would dread coming to Sligo and especially when they are going well.’ https://t.co/NusRUjr4NKpic.twitter.com/wie52q2LCF

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) December 30, 2021