Evan Weir delighted for more action
Evan Weir believes returning to Drogheda United on loan following his permanent switch to Walsall was the “perfect” scenario.
Weir, 21, will spend the first half of the 2024 League of Ireland campaign – which runs from February to November – at Trivela’s sister club Drogheda, before joining up with the Saddlers for pre-season.
The Irishman penned an 18-month contract with the option of a further year in the club’s favour. The left-back, who can also play at centre-half, has amassed 58 appearances for Drogheda – scoring six goals and setting up two more.
He has revealed it was Walsall’s choice to offer him the six-month loan with the Drogs, but insists he would’ve made the same decision had he been given the option.
“I thought the best opportunity I could’ve got was to play my football here (at Drogheda), get my appearances up, gain more experience and then make my move at 21 or 22,” he said in an interview with the Training 121 Podcast. “It’s perfect now that I’m loaned back until the end of June and then I can go over for a full pre-season so I can hit the ground running. It was a decision made on Walsall’s side. If they had given me the option then I would’ve gone with the six-month loan and went for the next season.”
Weir will join a growing Irish contingent at Essington, which includes Oisin McEntee and Republic of Ireland youth international Ronan Maher, who is currently on loan at National League North neighbours Rushall Olympic.
Fellow compatriots David Okagbue, Emmanuel Adegboyega and Ross Tierney are also on loan at Walsall until the end of the current season.
McEntee and Tierney sold the club to Weir when he attended Walsall’s 3-1 win over Wrexham at the end of 2023, and the defender admits it still feels “surreal” that he will be playing in England next season.
“Now that it’s happened. It’s mad. I still can’t believe it to this day.” he added. “I know it’s not happened yet, or I haven’t gone yet, but even to have interest from there is surreal.
“They brought me out to look at the stadium and that’s when I took my moment to take a deep breath to realise this is where I am going to be.
“This is going to be my home next season. I literally took a video to send to my dad and said, ‘just look at this place’.
“The week after I went to watch them play Wrexham. To see the stadium full of fans and I was actually chatting to Ross Tierney and Oisin McEntee.
“Two lovely lads and they were just telling me all about it and it just made me feel like I want to start and I want to play.”
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