Aberdeen midfielder Frank Ross joins on loan
We are delighted to announce that Aberdeen midfielder Frank Ross has today joined the club on a development loan until 10 June 2018.
The 19-year-old Scotland youth international has made 12 first-team appearances for the Dons, including recent substitute outings against Celtic and Rangers, a match in which he scored.
Ross is highly rated by former Ton midfielder and current Dons boss Derek McInnes and penned a one-year contract extension with the Pittodrie outfit prior to his temporary move to Cappielow.
Manager Jim Duffy told gmfc.net: “We’re delighted to bring Frank on board. He’s a young player with a lot of potential who we have seen playing.
“We thought he had natural ability, creativity, and he’s hopefully a player who can make things happen in the front area. He plays either wide or up top
“He’s got really good feet, takes the ball in, tries to create, and the more chances you create, the percentage levels go up in terms of goal scoring.
“We make no secret about that; we’re not shying away from that: we don’t score enough goals. We’ve got to score more goals and have to be more productive and more ruthless.
“We also did our homework on what type of boy he is and spoke to Derek [McInnes]. We know Derek and we’ve had Declan McManus and Lawrence Shankland from Aberdeen in the past.
“Lawrence helped us get into the top four last year, and we had Declan prior to that to help us win the division in League One, and hopefully Frank can emulate those other young strikers from Aberdeen.
“So we thought it would be terrific if we could get Frank in. Aberdeen had the winter break, so he was away and that delayed the process a little bit. It’s been something we’ve been working in for a couple of weeks.
“Another part of the process was that Aberdeen were very keen to extend his contract prior to the move. They believe they have a talented young player, so he can hopefully come here and make a positive contribution.
“He’s only a young lad, only 19, so we’re not putting too much responsibility on his shoulders, but we just think we have a player with natural ability and hopefully he can enhance the squad.
“We needed to bring a couple of guys in. People use the term ‘freshening up’ but it’s not freshening up; it’s about adding competition and adding quality. Hopefully Frank will help bring that.”
Duffy’s said face Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park in the William Hill Scottish Cup this weekend, and he confirmed that the teenager has been given permission to turn out for the Ton in the competition.
He explained: “Sometimes teams don’t want players to play in the cup if they’ve got to go back, but we’ve got permission from Aberdeen and Derek to get him involved.”
Image: Jonathan Mitchell
