STEPHEN GLEESON SAYS he’s “ready to start enjoying football again” after signing a one-year deal with English National League side Solihull Moors.
Gleeson has been a free agent since a difficult spell with Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen came to an end in January.
The 32-year-old midfielder joins a club with firm ambitions of promotion to the Football League, as evidenced by their signing of fellow Dubliner Adam Rooney earlier this year.
“I’m excited to get going and get back into football,” said Gleeson, who has been capped four times at senior level by the Republic of Ireland. “It’s close to my home, the manager, Bealey [assistant manager Richard Beale], the project, everything just fitted what I wanted at this stage in my career.”
Gleeson played 127 times in the Championship for Birmingham City and Ipswich Town before joining Aberdeen in the summer of 2018. He’s now desperate for a fresh start after making just 20 first-team appearances in Scotland.
He said: “I just want to get going again playing football and kind of enjoy the rest of my career. It’s been kind of a rough two years and I think this is the project that can make me do that and start enjoying football again.
“For me personally it’s been a hell of a two years. It’s something I want to put behind me and it’s not something I want to talk about. Aberdeen is gone, it’s done and I want to look forward now.”
In his most recent international outing – a friendly against Mexico in June 2017 – Gleeson scored Ireland’s only goal in a 3-1 defeat.
“This is an outstanding addition to the squad,” said Solihull Moors manager Jimmy Shan. “We have signed a player with Championship pedigree and a wealth of experience.
“Stephen is a player that fits the Moors way, he will help the team gain control in games and has an outstanding ability to unlock with clever and creative passes.”
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