Matty Grant
Signed in August from West of Scotland Football League side Pollok, Grant went on to make a big impact in his first season at SPFL level.
Energetic wideman made his debut after replacing Scott McLean at Forfar in a 2-0 defeat. Was unlucky to receive a second yellow away to Stenhousemuir but marked his return to the team with his first goal for the club. Received a pass from James Hilton and blasted across Brett Long in the Dumbarton goal to put the Blues 2-0 up in 3-2 win.
Also put Stranraer 2-0 up in a 3-2 win over Stenhousemuir and was on target against East Fife, Elgin City and Stenhousemuir. Stranraer won each game that the winger scored in and he also chipped in with five assists along the way.
Games: 33 (including 6 substitute appearances)
Goals: 5
Assists: 5
Minutes: 2377
Grant Gallagher
Club captain featured in all four of Stranraer’s League Cup games before a problematic injury saw him miss out.
No appearances between July and October, before making a 21-minute substitute appearance away to Fraserburgh in Scottish Cup defeat. Finally made his first league appearance of the campaign seven days later as James Hilton’s goal against Forfar got the Blues back on the right track.
Scored a vital goal just minutes after Stranraer had been reduced to 10 men against Stenhousemuir as the Blues won 3-2. Went on to get his second of the season and match his tally from the previous campaign with an impressive overhead kick against future champions Stirling Albion. Became a regular in the Stranraer midfield and has already signed on for another year.
Just seven appearances short of joining Scott Robertson in the 300 club some 13 years after making his club debut.
- Games: 29 (including 4 substitute appearances)
- Goals: 2
- Assists: –
- Minutes: 2271
Josh Walker
Increasingly became an important player for both Jamie Hamill and Scott Agnew as the season progressed.
Had regularly been used as a substitute in previous campaigns but 24 of his appearances last term came from the start, rather than the bench. Scored from almost on the goal line against Bonnyrigg Rose before collecting a Sam Ellis pass, rounding goalkeeper Sam Ramsbottom and scoring against FC Edinburgh. Goalscorer became goal provider against East Fife as he set up Luke Watt for goal in eventful draw at Stair Park.
Long range effort at Bonnyrigg ultimately counted for little in 3-2 defeat and he also scored in 2-1 loss to Stenhousemuir. Penalty opener against East Fife set Stranraer on way to 3-1 win before agonising penalty miss against Stirling Albion. Bounced back to provide fantastic ball for Matty Grant to score against Elgin City and then found the net himself just 11 minutes later.
Signed on for another year and will be looking to build on breakthrough campaign.
- Games: 36 (including 12 substitute appearances)
- Goals: 6
- Assists: 4
- Minutes: 2149
Paul Woods
Finished the season as the club’s second top goalscorer, despite not kicking a ball since the end of October.
Experienced wideman scored two penalties against Hamilton Academical and also netted from the spot against Annan Athletic on the opening day of the league season. Lovely cool finish against East Fife put Stranraer in front in a game that eventually finished 2-2.
Demonstrated his prowess from 12 yards once more when he netted a late spot kick against Dumbarton when it looked like Stranraer had thrown the game away. Sixth goal came in a home defeat to Elgin City before he suffered a horror knee injury just before half time against Forfar Athletic.
Remains to be seen what the future holds for the likeable 36-year-old who was vital for the Blues in the first few months of the season.
- Games: 18
- Goals: 6
- Assists: 1
- Minutes: 1460
Dean Hawkshaw
Featured in just one of the cup games at the start of the campaign before coming into the side as Stranraer lost 4-1 at Stirling.
Kept his place for the midweek win over Dumbarton and got first goal of the season with shot from distance in defeat to Elgin City. Set up Kyle Girvan’s equaliser at Fraserburgh and then found the equaliser in 1-1 draw at home to Annan Athletic at end of November.
Started 3-1 win over Stirling Albion the following week but injury at the beginning of December saw him miss the trip to New Dundas Park and seemed to signal the end of his season. Instead, he made it back for the closing three games under new manager Scott Agnew. An unused substitute in the first game against Elgin City, he stepped off the bench for the final 16 minutes against Stenhousemuir.
Started against Dumbarton on the final day of the campaign and has already signed on for 2023/24.
- Games: 20 (including 6 substitute appearances)
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 1
- Minutes: 1098
Anton Brady
Showed real form in September as he scored away to Elgin City in 2-2 draw.
Then, produced a brilliant through ball for Paul Woods to find the net against East Fife in a game that ended with the same scoreline.
A regular feature of the squad, he failed to hold down a starting spot on occasion as he clocked up a dozen substitute appearances. Even slotted in at full-back and provided the assist for James Hilton in 3-1 win over East Fife in January. Was again teeing up goals against the Fifers when he set up Matty Grant at Stair Park and then delivered the free-kick for Josh Walker to score against Elgin City in Scott Agnew’s first game in charge.
63 appearances for the Blues after joining from East Kilbride, the 29-year-old will be playing his football at St Cadoc’s next season.
- Games: 34 (including 12 substitute appearances)
- Goals: 1
- Assists: 4
- Minutes: 1945
James Hilton
Top scorer and joint most assists tell a little bit of the story for Hilton’s season in a Stranraer top.
Previously used as an attacking midfielder or winger, he found himself playing up front for much of the season.
Found the net in 3-2 defeat to Forfar that ultimately became 3-0 due to an ineligible player. Also scored at Stenhousemuir in a 3-1 defeat before finally finishing on the winning side by scoring in memorable midweek contest with the then unbeaten Dumbarton.
Chip over former team-mate Greg Fleming was well worth the admission at Annan Athletic and he would also find the net against Forfar and Stenhousemuir in wins. Goal against the Warriors – and another former Stranraer number one Conor Brennan – was voted goal of the season, before he found the net in back-to-back games against East Fife.
Played through injury on occasion and will be returning to Stair Park next term but only as part of the opposition provided by Dumbarton.
- Games: 38 (including 8 substitute appearances)
- Goals: 8
- Assists: 5
- Minutes: 2634
Dylan Forrest
Debut season in the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) proved an impressive one.
Made the switch from Cumbernauld Colts and quickly slotted into the heart of the midfield.
Eventful evening against Dumbarton saw him deliver the cross for James Hilton’s opener before he was sent off in conceding the penalty that allowed the Sons to level the game at 2-2. Coolly slotted home an equaliser against Stirling Albion at Stair Park and followed that up with an assist for Josh Walker in defeat away to Bonnyrigg Rose.
Was slightly unlucky to be sent off against the Midlothian men back at Stair Park in February. Came off after 34 minutes against East Fife in Jamie Hamill’s last game in charge but immediately bounced back by netting the opening goal against Elgin City under Scott Agnew.
Set up Matty Grant for opener against Stenhousemuir the following week and can look forward to more Saturdays at Stair Park.
- Games: 35 (including 6 substitute appearances)
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 3
- Minutes: 2429
Scott McLean
Experienced wideman returned north of the border having spent time with Spennymoor Town.
Marked his debut with a goal against Queen’s Park after tucking home a rebound from James Hilton’s penalty. Started each of the opening three cup games before coming off the bench at Forfar to net his own penalty with just four minutes left.
Became a regular substitute but actually started in each of his five final appearances for the club. Last game saw him play 63 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Annan Athletic before he was replaced by Craig Malcolm.
Moved on to Ayrshire’s Glenafton joining former Blues in Craig Pettigrew, Adam Caldwell and Leon Murphy.
- Games: 20 (including 9 substitute appearances)
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 1
- Minutes: 1061
Ikechi Eze
Returned to Britain after a spell playing in Bulgaria.
Came off the bench at Forthbank at half time with Stranraer trailing 4-1 to hosts Stirling Albion. Brought into the starting line-up for midweek clash with Dumbarton, who lost their unbeaten record in 3-2 thriller. Kept his place for contests with Albion Rovers and Elgin City but was then brought off at half time away to Annan Athletic.
Late substitute appearances against Dumbarton, Annan and Stirling followed before he was handed a start away to Bonnyrigg Rose in 3-2 defeat just before Christmas. Two more substitute appearances before he moved to Clydebank on loan.
Among those to be released at the end of the season.
- Games: 11 (including 6 substitute appearances)
- Goals: –
- Assists: –
- Minutes: 414
Carter McKane
Zero minutes but a place on the bench for the first game of Scott Agnew’s reign as Stranraer manager.
The Blues’ squad was stretched to breaking point with a number of players absent for the contest with Elgin City. That saw three members of the South of Scotland Football League squad brought in to join Craig Malcolm and a fit again Dean Hawkshaw.
McKane, who can also play in defence, was joined among the substitutes by Aaron Drysdale and Harry Mitchell as the Blues picked up a massive three points.
- Games: 0
- Goals: 0
- Assists: 0
- Minutes: 0
