July 15th 2024
NAIRN County have concluded a deal with Rothes for the sale of striker Gary Kerr for an undisclosed fee, pending SFA approval. The 26-year-old was in his second spell at Station Park having re-joined the club in the summer of 2016. He will be ineligible to play when the two clubs meet at Station Park on Saturday, weather permitting. Manager Ronnie Sharp said: “Gary made it clear to us that he wanted to take Rothes’s offer after they contacted the club on Boxing Day for permission to speak with him. That is fine and he leaves with everyone’s best wishes. “Gary has done well for us in his time here. He has got back to enjoying his football and proved to everyone that he is a more than capable centre forward at Highland League level. He has been a great guy to work with over the last year-and-a-half and I hope everything works out well for him at Rothes.” He added: “Depending on how we want to play, we now have Jordan MacRae and Dylan Mackenzie for the central striker roles, which worked so well as a pair at the start of the season when Gary was injured. We have played Ross Naismith there before and he has done well and we will also look to include Max Ewan more if he continues to progress the way he has. We need to look to the younger players coming through from the under-20s and the youth teams as well. But if players become available that we feel can add something to the front line or the rest of the squad then we will see what we can do to bring them on board.” Gary Kerr said: “It is with a heavy heart that I leave Nairn as I have loved my second spell at the club. There is a brilliant group of boys in the dressing room and it has been great working under Sharpie. I never knew him at all before I came in but he has helped improve my game and I will always be grateful to him for giving me the chance of an extended run in the team in my preferred position at Highland League level for the first time. “Everyone behind the scenes at Nairn works so hard and it really is a great club which I am sure will have success in the future. However, I felt that this was an opportunity that was too good to turn at this stage of my career and one that may not come along in the future if I never took it now. “I would like to thank everyone at Nairn for all they have done for me, particularly helping me out when I needed knee surgery in the summer and I wish them well for the future.” Kerr hit 18 goals in 35 starts for County last season and has added a further five strikes in 18 appearances this campaign, to give the former Clachancuddin, Brora Rangers and Strathspey Thistle man an overall total of 25 goals in 67 outings over two spells in Nairn colours. Graeme Macleod
