St Roch's may just have received the perfect Xmas pressie with the signing of Pollok midfielder John Sweeney.

That's the view of Candy Rock boss Andy Cameron who has saluted the 28-year-old midfielder for turning down an array of lucrative contract offers in order to honour a promise made to play for him again.

It's been an amazing turnaround for former Clyde ace Sweeney, who was one of four Lok players red-carded during the 1-0 defeat at home to Super First Division rivals Rob Roy.

Twenty four hours later, he had been placed on the Newlandsfield transfer list at his own request sparking alleged signing approaches from top-flight rivals Arthurlie and Shettleston. However, Sweeney’s mind was set on joining his local Junior club St Roch's and that particular Xmas wish came true when Garngad club officials struck a deal with their southside counterparts.

Cameron said: “John is undoubtedly a very high-profile signing for a club like ours, so I’d like to think his coming on board sends out a clear message that St Roch's have designs on going places.

“Initially, I wasn’t sure if coming here was the right move for him at this stage of his career and said so during our talks.

"But his desire to come here was such that he wasn’t for letting anything stand in his way, even the prospect of him not picking up a penny over the next 18 months.

"Not everyone knows he made me a promise as a 15-year-old about to leave Blochairn Star that he would come back and play for me again, but I expected that moment to come when he was in his mid-thirties and close to retirement, not when he is 28 years of age and arguably at the peak of his career.

“His signing has given everyone at St Roch's a huge lift and could result in players of a similar ilk being prepared to throw in their lot with us as is the case with a vastly experienced Sup Premier Division defender whom I’m hoping will put pen to paper when we meet up for talks tonight."

The postponement of a proposed friendly match against crack amateur outfit Colville Park later tonight has brought Cameron to switch his focus to the Hogmanay friendly outing against Blochairn Star at the James McGrory Stadium (kick-off 1.45pm) where entry is by donations for Royston Youth Action.

And next Tuesday night, St Roch's have scheduled another friendly away to East Kilbride Amateurs at the floodlit K-Park in the town.

Cameron admitted: “The prospect of John making his debut will hopefully bring out a few extra bodies on Thursday to swell the gate for such a good cause and it will also do him good to play in the East Kilbride game.

“It helps that our captain James McKnight is his cousin while John also knows a lot of the boys such as Kenny Jarvis, so he should settle quickly into his new surroundings and I’m looking forward to seeing him in a St Roch's strip.”

“The two week Xmas shutdown came at a good time because we had a hit a blip with only one win in our last eight games.

"So the break has hopefully allowed us to regroup and get our mojo back ahead of a trip to Neilston in our next competitive outing.”

The competitive midfielder scoffed at the snipers who have labelled his transfer across city as a backward move.

He said: "My dropping down a couple of Divisions doesn’t appear to sit easy with a lot of people but surely they can see for themselves that St Roch's are a club on the up.

“Yes, results of late could be better but one win is all it takes to turn the corner and I’ve been impressed with the potential at St Roch's and cannot help but think that day is coming sooner rather than later.

“I’ve also been inundated with text messages about the so called `big money` used to lure me here when the simple truth is I am here to play for nothing more than the enjoyment factor of football again.

“Andy’s a terrific boss with ambitious plans for St Roch's and I’m happy to try and help him succeed."

Pollok’s proposed friendly match away to Benburb last night was called off due to the unavailability of players however the earlier in the day meeting of Cumbernauld United and Rob Roy ended in a 3-1 victory for the Super Premier Division leaders thanks to goals from Kevin Watt(2) and Jordan McGuire .

There’s further friendly action tonight with Renfrew taking on managerless Irvine Meadow at New Western Park (7pm) and an attractive proposition for Ayrshire fans of Junior football is tonight’s head to head at the Kilwinning Sports Centre (7pm) between Kilwinning Rangers and Auchinleck Talbot.