Forres Mechanics sign former Ross County midfielder Ryan MacLeman from Elgin City for a second spell at Mosset Park
Back for a second spell at the club who gave him his senior breakthrough.
Forres Mechanics have signed midfielder Ryan MacLeman from Elgin City on a three-year deal, having last week sold key performer Jordan Alonge to Caley Thistle.
The 21-year-old had a previous spell at Mosset Park on loan from Ross County, scoring five times in the 2022-23 season.
County then farmed MacLeman out to Elgin at the start of the following season and the move became permanent in January 2024.
He made 26 starts and nine sub appearances in total that season but last season an injury curtailed his time on the pitch and he made just two starts and 11 sub appearances, and was latterly loaned out to Buckie Thistle.
Forres boss Steven MacDonald was delighted to recapture the player on a permanent deal from City.
“Ryan's obviously a good player,” he said. “When he was with us in 22-23, he had a very good season for a young boy as he was only 18 or 19 at the time.
“That was his first year in Highland League really, and he was really good for us. He's improved as a player since then with Elgin, from what I've seen, and he's got more experience and he's older, so it's great to have him back.
“We're slightly fortunate by the sounds of it, that he got an injury last year, and that's set him back a bit and with the strength that Elgin has in his position.
“So it's a chance for him to get going again now and show what he can do.”
MacDonald believes the midfielder could return to SPFL football in the future.
“I talked about that with Ryan, saying that there's still going to be plenty of opportunities for him. For now the main thing is just getting back to performing the way he can and obviously be healthy and injury-free.”
So it’s one in and one out of Cans’ midfield department with Alonge moving to Inverness and MacLeman coming in, though he doesn’t see his new man as a replacement.
“I think Jordan was a unique player. He had different attributes in that he was quite tall, while Ryan's also got different attributes to Jordan that are really good too.
“In common, both of them can score goals, that’s something that Ryan has got that in his locker too and it's similar that he is an attacking midfielder.
“I'm not asking him to be Jordan's replacement, but he's got a lot of qualities that are going to really help us.”