IT will be a family affair for Fraser Duncan and Sauchie Juniors this season after Brian Morgan returned to the club. 

The Reds secured the signature of the fans’ favourite on Monday as he heads back to Clacks following a two-year spell in Fife, where he helped Bo’ness United gain promotion to the Lowland League last season. 

Former Sauchie skipper Morgan enjoyed a fruitful spell at Beechwood Park previously and will now link up again with Duncan, his brother-in law.

READ MORE: Sauchie Juniors won't last five weeks without fans, warns chairman Karl Rennie

“It’s a wee bit unexpected,” Sauchie boss Duncan, who is also brother-in-law to coach Darren Cummings, told Advertiser Sport. “I had spoken to Brian throughout the summer about the possibility of him coming back to Sauchie but it was just never really on the cards.

“He had made his mind up that he was going to stay at Bo’ness and have a crack at the Lowland League. 

“He has changed his mind and I think he just wanted to be at a club that’s close to his home and where he wants to finish his career at Sauchie.

“When he came to me and said he was having second thoughts about staying at Bo’ness, I told him that of course we would be interested. 

“We knew it was going to be difficult to get a deal done but Bo’ness came to us and told us what they expected from us and what they expected back for Brian.

“We were happy with it and we have managed to do it. 

“We are delighted to get him back.” 

Morgan becomes Duncan’s latest signing of a busy off-season which has already seen the likes of Danny Smith, Sam Collumbine, and Ross Crawford join the club. 

Duncan added: “Brian has that knowhow and that experience and he still has a lot of miles left in the tank. 

Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser: Brian Morgan has returned to Sauchie Brian Morgan has returned to Sauchie

“He wants to be here and to do well.

“He wants to go and win stuff and win it with Sauchie. Hopefully that’s the case and we can do it for him.

“I am just delighted to have him back and a lot of Sauchie fans will feel the same. “He was always a fans’ favourite.” 

Saturday’s opening league game away to Dunbar United will come a little too soon for Morgan as he continues to get closer to match fitness.  

East of Scotland bosses confirmed the season curtain raiser would go ahead amid concerns a continued ban on fans could negatively impact on teams. 

Sauchie chairman Karl Rennie previously told Advertiser Sport the Reds wold struggle within five weeks without supporters. 

Duncan, who watched his boys narrowly lose to Caledonian Braves on Saturday, said: “It’s maybe a couple of weeks early for us but we will get ourselves ready to go.

READ MORE: Sauchie Juniors star Darren Cummings retires

“We are looking forward to it. It’s been a long time without any competitive football and the way the league is thinking is that if we leave it any longer it will never happen.

“It’s been a difficult one and we had a great start to pre-season where we were fit and ready to go. But, match-wise we have found it difficult to get ourselves going.

“The reason for this is the long lay-off we have had. We have got there and Saturday was the first time where we really put a good performance in for the 90 minutes.”

An East of Scotland spokesman said in a statement: “Ultimately, predicaments faced by delaying further are greater than the challenges clubs face by playing under existing protocol.”