Irish League coach admits signing former Premiership star 'a massive coup' for his side as they look to continue progressing

Former Linfield, Portadown and Newry City striker Salley was announced as a new Sunnyside star on Monday and his arrival is a significant statement of intent.

The 27-year-old won the Championship’s Golden Boot during the 2022/23 campaign after scoring 27 goals while on loan at Ards and earned a top-flight move to Newry, where he was their top marksman in the Premiership, scoring 10 times.

Oxford Sunnyside were promoted into the Irish League pyramid ahead of the current campaign after winning the Mid-Ulster Intermediate A crown and are set to return to a new-look Knockramer Park next month having been on the road for the past few months.

They sit 10th but are only two points adrift of third-placed Dergview in a competitive Premier Intermediate League and former Portadown star McCann hopes Salley can make a difference.

"It's absolutely fantastic for us,” he said. “It has been a transition year moving into the PIL and we've struggled to score goals - it's as simple as that.

"We've been creating chances in games but haven't been taking them and I feel bringing in Adam is the perfect signing for us.

"He's someone who has had a career at Portadown, Ards and Newry and he has always scored goals. There's no doubt he will come in and score goals for us too...it's a big, big lift for us.

"When Paddy and I were talking about the possibility of getting somebody like him in, you might have thought 'he won't go there' but he liked what he heard from us and what we're looking to do.

"We're trying to build at Oxford and progress as a club. For us it's a massive coup - he's a recognised striker that has scored goals in the Premiership, was top Championship scorer with Ards and then he went to Newry and scored goals too.

"We've no doubt that we've signed a goalscorer and we're looking forward to him helping us move forward as a team and club."

Salley has already been training with his new team-mates and is in line to make a club debut on Saturday when Sunnyside travel to table-toppers Dollingstown.

Ex-Glentoran midfielder McCann is still mixing his coaching duties with playing at 43 and has immediately seen the impact which Salley can have during what is an exciting time for the club.

"Even in training last night you could see the quality he has with his quickness of thought and taking only one touch instead of two or three,” he added. “He is going to help the boys around him get better and as we get to know him more as a player and play a style which brings the best out of him, I've no doubt it's going to be a massive lift for all the boys.

"We spoke with him about what we're planning to do and he feels this is a good step for him at this moment in his career.

"He'll get back to playing football, enjoying himself and scoring goals. When you have players like that it can take us forward.

"The pitch is hopefully going to be opening in February with a new 4G down, floodlights...you could have football on a Friday night at Knockramer.

"The club is making huge strides and it's great for the community in Lurgan. It's all on an upward trajectory on and off the field."