General
- Thursday September 27th, 2018 @ 13:50
Lee Desmond Signs Two Year Extension With The Saints
St Patrick's Athletic are pleased to announce that defender Lee Desmond has signed a new two year contract with the club.
Defender Desmond (23) re-signs with the Saints having initially joined the club ahead of the 2015 season from Shelbourne and having previously played for English Premier League side Newcastle United (2011-13).
The 2019 SSE Airtricity League season will be a fifth season in St Pat's colours for the former Cherry Orchard schoolboy and Donaghmede man Desmond spoke of his happiness to sign a new deal.
Lee Desmond has signed a new 2 year contract that will keep him at Richmond Park until the end of the 2020 @SSEAirtricityLg season
 St Patrick's Athletic FC (@stpatsfc) 27 MeÃÆ'¡n FÃÆ'³mhair 2018
The 23 year old has been here since 2015 & along with Caretaker Manager Ger O’Brien, has been telling us about the good news #Saints2019 ðŸ"´âšªï¸ÂÂ⚽︠pic.twitter.com/uSHPSvKZen
"I am happy at the club and have really enjoyed my time here. We have had plenty of ups and downs like everyone else but overall I have enjoyed my time and I am happy to commit to the future here at Pat's," Desmond told stpatsfc.com.
"This year especially and last year as well, I have been playing every week and enjoying my football. I get on very well with everyone at the club and we are a really tight knit group, and that is what I want to be a part of.
"The fans, the players, all the staff, we all get on well and I think the club is definitely going in the right direction and minimum next season, hopefully we can get into Europe."
Director of Football Ger O'Brien stated his delight at securing the signature of Desmond when speaking to stpatsfc.com. Having previously played alongside 23 year old Desmond, O'Brien underlined that the move was one which shows that the club are already showing positive signs ahead of the 2019 season.
"Myself and Garrett sat down with Lee and explained what way the club will move forward. Lee has turned down bigger and more lucrative offers from other clubs because of what he wants to achieve here at St Pat's. Lee is four years here with us and these two years will bring him up to a total of six which is fantastic for us."
"He has progressed really well since he has come in and is only going to get better so we are delighted from a club point of view that we can tie Lee down."
"There is hopefully more business that the club can get done between now and the end of the season as well, and the club can then sit down and hatch out a plan on how we can best move forward."
Desmond is in contention to feature in the 2018 Leinster Senior Cup Final on Friday night against his former club as the Saints face Shelbourne in Tolka Park at 7.45pm.
