Balatoni is a Berwicker
Berwick Rangers are pleased to confirm the addition of experienced centre half Conrad Balatoni, who has this evening agreed to join the ‘Gers in a loan deal until June 6th from his parent club Clyde. A pre-contract agreement has also been made, which will see Conrad will remain at Shielfield Park on a permanent basis until summer 2024.
The Englishman is perhaps best known for his spell with Partick Thistle, where he racked up over 135 appearances between the years of 2010 to 2015, having joined the Jags from Heart of Midlothian.
Following his spell with Thistle, Conrad spent a season as a regular at both Kilmarnock and Ayr United, before moving on to Falkirk in 2017. From there, he’d join National League side Torquay United and feature 16 times before returning to Scotland in a move to Edinburgh City, where he’d spend three years and make 74 appearances before moving on to Danny Lennon’s Clyde.
With almost 300 senior appearances to his name, Conrad adds a wealth of experience to the ‘Gers backline and joins Jamie Pyper, David Ferguson, Jack Cook as centre backs currently tied up for next season.
Manager Stuart Malcolm shared: “I’m absolutely delighted to get Conrad, and even more so that we’ve been able to get him here a little bit earlier than the summer so we can try get him bedded in before we go into next season.
“In terms of a player, he’s exceptionally experienced. He’s played in the Premiership, played in the Championship and played a huge number of games. He’s a great size, has good footballing ability and is an outstanding leader. He’ll add a whole host of attributes to our team and help us to progress.
“Conrad’s only 31 so he’s still at a good age, we’re hoping that we can get the best out of him and believe we will do so. It’s a great coup for the club to get someone of this ilk to come and help us move forward, and hopefully help us push up the league again next season.
“And it’s a signing that demonstrates the ambition of the club and where we want to go. The level of player we’re trying to attract and bring here should push the current players within our squad to a different level. We’re looking to keep driving standards and continue making progress.”
