Goalkeeper Brett Long and midfield player Gary Fraser have advised manager Jim McInally that they will not be taking up the offer of new contracts at the club.
Long, who joined last season from East Fife told the Balmoor boss yesterday that he was heading for Dumbarton with Fraser expected to join up with a club in the Lowland league.
Shot-stopper Long came through the youth system at Northern Irish side Cliftonville prior to joining Motherwell – where he won the Youth Cup – before heading to the Fifers in the summer of 2018.
The 25-year-old fought off competition from Lenny Wilson to become established in Peterhead’s starting line-up and in total Brett made 42 appearances last season where he kept a total of nine clean sheets with displays against Montrose and Falkirk last autumn particularly memorable.
Manager McInally said: “Brett had a really good season for us and I would like to thank him for that. We made him an increased offer to stay but he has taken the option of moving elsewhere and I am sure that he will do well at Dumbarton.”
As for goalkeeping duties at the Blue Toon Jim said: “Lenny is in America just now but we remain in talks with him. Nothing stands still and I will be in discussions with a club regarding a goalkeeper coming to us later today.”
Gary Fraser is also moving on after 48 games for the club as well as a memorable fund-raising campaign that included a never to be forgotten appearance on Sky Sports – https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/12325411/peterhead-player-takes-dip-in-loch-lomond?fbclid=IwAR04V-ieORL7uVq9TVJ5Uz21ATpautg-Abmt1h_0h33wc4AwnlCGgHbPndM .
The former Hamilton Accies, Bolton, Partick Thistle, Forfar and Cowdenbeath player injured a knee in December 2020 in a game against Montrose and after delays due to covid it was agreed that funds would be raised to pay for a private operation and to raise funds for Mental Health Charity Back Onside who Gary is an Ambassador for.
Boss McInally put his number four shirt from the second leg of Dundee United’s 1987 UEFA Cup Final against IFK Gothenburg up for auction, with former player/coach Simon Ferry doing likewise with his English League Two winning top (number 8) with Swindon from 2012.
Back Onside donated a four ball at their Golf Day in St Andrews as well as a Tyson Fury Boxing Glove with Tony Watt, Charlie Adam and Andrew Halliday handing over jerseys with Kevin Nisbet giving up the Scotland top he wore when he scored against the Netherlands last summer.
Peterhead General Manager Martin Johnston added a Paul Gascoigne painting and a Peterhead title winning jersey to the auction with Partick Thistle joining in by making a picture of a famous goal he scored for the Jags at Tynecastle against Hearts available to the highest bidder.
In total nearly £22,000 was raised which included a handsome donation from West Ham Chairman David Gold who had read on-line about Gary’s situation.
The operation which was carried out last December was a success and Gary returned to playing earlier this year.
He went on to make eight appearances and the club offered him a contract for next season however he has decided to decline it with Jim saying: “It was a difficult decision for Gary to make as he remains very grateful for everything the people around the club did for him last year. We had a long conversation and the best thing to do was to part as friends and for Gary to do what he believes is best for him.”
“I hope he goes on to play a lot more football in his career.”
