Peterhead boss Jim McInally signs winger Alan Cook to create chances

Jim McInally is thrilled to have further bolstered his Peterhead squad with the signing of Alan Cook.

The winger, 27, joins the Blue Toon from League Two side Stenhousemuir.

Cook becomes the Buchan outfit’s third signing of the January transfer window after midfielder Andrew McCarthy joined a fortnight ago and striker Steven Boyd signed earlier this week.

Balmoor boss McInally believes Cook, who has also played for Alloa, East Fife and Arbroath, will give his side a different dimension.

Scotland’s longest serving manager said: “I like that Alan is a natural winger with good pace and the first thing that is always on his mind is to get a cross in.

“He will give us that natural winger’s play that we probably haven’t had since Nicky Riley.

“Alan’s a good dribbler and he’s a big boy as well who can battle.

He’s also quite a fiery boy and although that can have its downfalls, I quite like that in players.

“When players do well against you as a manager you always remember it. Especially when it’s dribblers and players in Alan’s position because we haven’t got much of that quality.

“The additions are a wee bit different to what we already have which is good.”

Cook could make his Peterhead debut when Dumbarton visit Balmoor on Saturday and McInally was pleased to secure his signature for a couple of reasons.

Firstly he wasn’t the first Stenny player he had his eye on and then it didn’t appear that the Warriors would allow Cook to leave Ochilview.

McInally added: “Alan was a bonus. He didn’t want to be at Stenhousemuir and the irony was that we’d heard Mark McGuigan might have been available.

“We had a scout at the game to watch McGuigan but that day he thought Alan was the best player on the park so it’s worked out well.

“When he went to Alloa three years ago I tried to sign him then so it’s good to finally land him.”

After striker Rory McAllister joined Cove Rangers last week, landing Cook and Boyd has been a welcome boost to Peterhead’s attack.

In his bid to persuade former Hamilton Accies and East Fife frontman Boyd to join the Blue Toon, McInally used son-in-law Ryan Dow in his sales pitch.

Last season the midfielder had fallen out of favour at Ross County. He joined Peterhead initially on loan and then on a permanent basis and rejuvenated his career, helping the Buchan outfit win League Two before securing a move back into full-time football with Dunfermline.

McInally said: “I have had that conversation with him about how it worked out for Ryan last season.

“I’ve had that conversation to try to sell the club to them and it was the same with Andrew McCarthy as well.

“It’s trying to show them that if they do well here and somebody comes in for them we won’t stand in their way and ask for silly transfer fees.

“It’s about getting them to trust you and enjoy their football. That’s important and if somebody does come in for him then we have an agreement in place that we’d let him go.

“But it gives Steven and the club a bit of stability and it gives us time to get him back playing and enjoying it again.”

The other piece of business McInally hopes to conclude soon is getting influential midfielder Simon Ferry signed on a new contract for next season.

“We’re trying to get Simon’s contract extended. He seems happy to stay and I’ll just try to build around him,” McInally said of the 32-year-old.

“I’ve always spoken about Simon’s importance and he’s been excellent again this season.

“He’s got a great attitude and we’ve brought him into the coaching side of it and his training has been excellent. It’s about trying to give him the best of both worlds.”