Liam Scales joins Shamrock Rovers from relegated UCD

FAI Cup holders Shamrock Rovers have unveiled the signing of former UCD and Republic of Ireland under-21 international Liam Scales.

Scales joins the Hoops after completing his studies at UCD, during a time where he also won the First Division at Belfield.

The Co. Wicklow native joins former teammates Gary O’Neil and Neil Farrugia at Tallaght Stadium – as Rovers preparations for 2020 ramp up.

“I’m delighted to get it all done. My time at UCD came to an end so it was time to move on and for me, Shamrock Rovers is the best option,” Scales told his club’s media team.  

“They’re on the up and they’ve got a great crop of young players coming through. I was at the FAI Cup final and I saw how good that performance was, and I just wanted to be part of something like that.

“Rovers played a Dundalk team that had won the league the last couple of years and they deserved to win that final.

“It was a great performance and that kind of swung it for me. Plus, the history of the club and the stadium at Tallaght – I love playing there.

“They’ve got a young manager who wants to win the league and that’s huge for me. I want to win silverware and be part of a team that wins trophies.”

The 21-year-old added; “I met Stephen Bradley a couple of weeks ago and there were a couple of offers I had to consider. I saw the training ground.

“The set up at Roadstone is top of the range, it’s the best that you’ll get at the country at club level. It’s excellent. I took a couple of weeks to make up my mind.

“I was away with the Ireland Under 21s so that gave me a bit of space to clear my head and make my decision.

“Going from UCD to another club is always going to be a big decision because you’re going from a part-time atmosphere where you’re studying in college to football being your job.”

Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley concluded; “He’s had a lot of interest from outside the league and that’s been going on for quite some time, so we’re delighted that he sees his future with us.”