Goalkeeper Mark Weir thrilled to be back where it all began

Goalkeeper Mark Weir in action against Hibs in a pre-season fixture last month. Picture: Erin West.

From starting out at Glenpark Boys Club (as Edinburgh City were formerly known) as an aspiring youth harbouring dreams of forging a career as a professional footballer, it is somewhat apt that the 32-year-old is once more donning the black and white.

Manager Michael McIndoe moved quickly to snap up Weir after the offer of a new deal at former club Stirling Albion wasn't forthcoming.

And the former Bonnyrigg Rose No.1 insists the proposition at helping kick-start a new era at the Capital club following a turbulent 2023-2024 campaign that resulted in a points deduction, not to mention relegation from League One, was one that ticked all the boxes.

"It was probably about 20 years or so ago now since I was last here," Weir recalls. "And then I went to Livi, Rangers, out to the States, and obviously Bonnyrigg and Stirling, so it's kind of gone full circle. It's quite nice to be back at a club I started at, although a lot has changed in that time. But it felt right after speaking with the manager and a couple of the boys. To be fair I played against Edinburgh City last year in League One with Stirling, and although we beat them 3-1, I was impressed with their style of play.

"I was given all the assurances I needed. I trust the manager a lot and thankful for the opportunity he's giving me this year. I've got no qualms about any of the issues that dogged the club last year and it's just about looking forward to the future."

The Citizens have lost both of their opening two Premier Sports Cup Group G fixtures, a 3-0 loss at Motherwell last Saturday was followed by a disappointing 5-0 scoreline at home to Clyde on Wednesday night. With Championship outfit Partick Thistle next up at Meaowbank tomorrow afternoon, Weir acknowledges it's been a challenging week for McIndoe's newly-assembled squad.

"It's been tough so far, but when you've got 15 or 16 new players coming in and getting used to the manager's style of football, it's going to take a little bit of time," he explained. "But there have been some good signs. Last Saturday against Motherwell from a goalkeeper's perspective, defensively I thought we were decent but conceding a couple of minutes before half-time changed the game.

"We conceded three but we were playing against a top team and then against Clyde on Wednesday, first half was also fairly decent. However, after the break we weren't anywhere near the levels we need to be at. It was a poor performance but we are looking to make that right in the weeks ahead and getting ready for the league opener.

"If you look at the group, Motherwell out of pot one was probably something we wanted to avoid, particularly a trip to Fir Park. Tomorrow we've got Partick Thistle who got to the Premiership play-offs so straight away there's two top teams. Clyde are probably a lot of people's favourites for the division this season and Montrose are a really good outfit too, so it's a difficult group.

"We've still got Thistle and then Montrose on Tuesday, so with the way the fixtures work, we'll still have 11 days to get back on the training pitch and work on things for Stirling in the league.

"As a footballer you want to test yourself against the best. I've been fortunate in the last few years to experience that. When I was at Bonnyrigg I played against Hibs, which was a massive game for myself and the club, last year with Stirling going away to McDiarmid Park and beating St Johnstone 4-0, and then this year playing at Fir Park.

"Having spoken with a few of the boys, it's the first time they've played at a Premiership ground so it's about gaining that experience. It's also the opportunity to impress on a bigger stage and you never know what can happen."

Weir is relishing the prospect of going toe to toe against two of his former clubs within the first three games of the new League Two campaign. City host Albion on August 3 before Bonnyrigg make the short trip across town a fortnight later.

He said: "When Robbie (Horn) left, I still kept in touch with him and also a lot of the boys. I help Mikey (Andrews) out a lot of his coaching camps too. Even the other week, when we had a free Saturday, I went along to one of their games against Broxburn so I was able to chat with a couple of the fans. They're a club that I always look out for and still have a lot of time for. I'd like to think I was a big part of the set-up that helped them get to where they are.

"And as for Stirling, I ended the season playing the last six league games and I got on well with the manager (Darren Young). But then he was sacked so that kind of put the spanner in the works. The club then said to me and the rest of the guys who were out of contract that there would be no decisions made on new deals until a new manager was brought in, so we were free to speak to other clubs. It will be strange coming up against both Stirling and Bonnyrigg so close together."