New-boy Niall Maher chasing another AFC Telford triumph

Maher, 22, made his Bucks bow at the weekend as they won 1-0 against FC United of Manchester, writes Joe Edwards.

He put in an assured display, showing no signs of rust despite his last competitive game before that being in October – for Irish side Galway United.

“They start in February (in Ireland) and finish at the end of October. They have the winter off,” said Maher.

“Saturday was my first competitive game since the end of October.

“I’ve trained but you don’t get that match fitness and sharpness by training. I felt good and having trained (with Telford) for a bit, I know the squad and know the players.

“It was a great day on Saturday and I’m looking forward to Nuneaton now.”

The Bucks completed the signing of Maher – formerly of Bolton Wanderers, Blackpool and Bury – last week, after they received international clearance for the deal to go through.

He had been training with Rob Edwards’ side for a while before the move was sealed and on how it all came about, he said: “I was playing in Galway.

“I had been in the Football League in England and it was time for a change in the summer, to go and play abroad. As a young lad, only 22, I want to be playing games and the opportunity was there to play in another country – learn something different.

“I’m good friends with Jordan Lussey, we played together at Bolton.

“I played with Elliot Newby there as well so they were a big factor in coming here.

“I’ve known about Telford for a while and I think it was just a matter of getting me in, with having big numbers already.”

Telford go into tonight’s game at the New Bucks Head three points from safety in National League North – and Maher insists he knows what it takes to beat the drop.

“I’ve been in this situation before – in the Championship with Blackpool and Bolton when we were in relegation trouble as well. I’ve got a good understanding of what it takes to get out,” he said.

“You have got to have that togetherness in the changing room, which the lads have, and the hard work on the pitch.”

On what is expected from him and fellow new-boy Paul Bignot, Maher added: “The manager is looking at us to be leaders because we’ve played at higher levels. It is a young squad so he’s looking at us to come in and organise, talk to people around us. In those dying minutes, you have to stay in your shape and just grind a result out.”