SLIGO ROVERS HAVE received a huge boost on the eve of the new League of Ireland season with the return of striker Max Mata.
The New Zealand international has joined on loan from Shrewsbury Town until this summer.
Mata joined the English League One side on a three-year deal last August when he was top scorer with 11 goals in 23 games in the Premier Division.
Bit O’Red boss John Russell will be hoping the 23-year-old can receive international clearance in time to face Derry City at the Showgrounds next week.
“I’m absolutely delighted to get Max back in. When he left he was top goalscorer in the league, and in my opinion the best centre forward in the league too,” Russell said.
“To get him back into the fold for the start of the season is a real boost.
“Max is a modern centre forward, he can link play, run in behind and he’s a real threat. He knows the environment, knows the players, knows the way we want to play, and we feel he can hit the ground running.”
