Arbroath boss Dick Campbell has expressed his delight after fighting off competition from clubs in the Championship to secure the signature of a player rated the best in the Highland League – former Cove Rangers midfielder Blair Yule.
The 24-year-old had been on the radar of Dundee United as well as Inverness and Peterhead but Campbell convinced the promising player that his ambition to play at a higher level should be realised with the Red Lichties in League 1.
Yule, who previously had a trial with English side Doncaster Rovers, has now signed a two-year deal and becomes the club’s latest summer signing following on from the additions of Danny Denholm, Tam O’Brien, John Gibson and Josh Skelly.
However, Campbell admitted that there is still one final piece in his jigsaw to be completed and he is hopeful that he may yet sign former Dundee United skipper Sean Dillon.
The manager said: “I got a phone call from a former player of mine a few months ago saying I had to have a look at this lad Blair Yule.
“He said that Blair was the best player in the Highland League and he was sure he could perform at a higher level.
“So I made a couple of enquiries and then after we had won the championship, I phoned him to see if he fancied coming to Arbroath.
“He told me that he had offers of trials at Dundee United and Inverness as well as the chance of a contract at Peterhead.
“However, we continued to have conversations and then he phoned me recently to say that he had decided not to go full-time.
“I said we would offer him a two-year deal to come to the club and he agreed.
“I honestly believe he will be a superb signing for us and I am absolutely delighted to bring him to Arbroath.
“He has a great engine and is an intelligent young man.
“I am really pleased with the business we have done so far this summer and we are almost done.
“However, I am still trying to bring Sean Dillon to the club and I hope to have an answer on that one in the next 24 hours.”
Meanwhile, Yule explained why he turned down the chance of full-time football with Caley Thistle to join Arbroath.
He was provisionally offered a two-year contract by the Highlanders’ caretaker managers Brian Rice and Scott Kellacher following the sacking of manager Richie Foran last month.
New manager John Robertson was also keen on Yule, but wanted to see the 24-year-old in training before completing the deal.
Aberdeen-based Yule, who works as an electrical engineer, was eager to resolve his future and said: “My Cove contract expired at the end of last season and I had a few teams keen.
“I was wondering if there would have been a chance to go full-time, because it’s every person who plays football’s dream to do it for a job.
“There was an offer from Inverness, but the uncertainty with the managerial change meant things dwindled away.
“There was an offer, but it was prior to the new manager coming in. He wanted to have a look at me first because he hadn’t seen me play, which was understandable.
“They had spoken about going up for a trial, but I was at the stage where I just wanted to get things sorted out.
“The deal at Inverness might not have worked out, and the position I’ve got with my job, I wasn’t sure if that was going to be available in a year or two’s time.
“It would been a very big gamble to take. Weighing up all the options, I feel I’ve done the right thing and I can concentrate on my full-time job, as well as playing part-time football which is what I’ve always done anyway.”
