Stirling Albion new boy just happy to get on the grass after making dream debut

Debut boy Josh McPake was full of Binos after ending a five-month spell in football wilderness with a scoring start to his Albion career.

The 22-year-old found the net with a superb free-kick for Stirling’s second goal in a 4-0 demolition of Edinburgh City.

He followed that up with a full 90 minutes in the Binos' 0-0 midweek draw with Hamilton Accies, including coming close with a long-range effort in the first half.

The former Rangers kid is raring to go after signing on at Forthbank till the end of the season.

Stirling are McPake’s eighth club in his short professional career, which began as a promising youngster at Rangers before a series of spells at clubs on both sides of the border.

The winger’s last appearance before Saturday was in Rangers B’s 2-1 SPFL Trust Trophy win over Stenhousemuir on August 18 – before the Ibrox club and McPake announced a mutual contract termination in September. Since then, the former Scotland youth international – who has also turned out for Tranmere Rovers, Morecambe, Harrogate Town and Queen’s Park – has been looking for an opportunity.

It was one eventually provided via a recent phone call from Stirling boss Darren Young.

After the Edinburgh City game, McPake said: “I enjoyed it and the lads played really well to get the result. It was a tough pitch against a tough team, so I’m happy to contribute and score a good goal.

“I spoke to James (Creaney) and the manager, they gave me a call and just said there’s 12-13 games left in the season, so come and do your best for us, get some fitness and enjoy playing your football once again.

“I’ve not played in a professional game for about five months, the first half was me trying to find my feet and then started to enjoy things in the second