McNamara signs two-year deal at Falkirk

JACKIE McNamara has signed a two-year contract with Falkirk where he will be reunited with his former Celtic team-mate John Hughes.

The 34-year-old former Celtic captain, whose contract with Aberdeen was terminated last month by mutual consent, passed a medical yesterday and will join his new club for pre-season training in July.

McNamara had hoped to extend his career by one more season and move into coaching, but has been persuaded by Falkirk manager Hughes to concentrate solely on playing.

"It's a great move for me," said McNamara, "and I'm delighted to be joining up with John again. The set-up at Falkirk is really impressive and I think it is a club where I will be able to enjoy my football again.

"I'm happy to put my coaching ambitions on the back burner. Getting a two-year deal is terrific and I just want to repay John's faith in me by helping Falkirk continue to progress as an SPL club."

Falkirk have also landed freed Hibernian youngster Dermot McCaffrey on a three-year contract. McCaffrey, 22, was farmed out on a season-long loan to Livingston this term and the former Northern Ireland Under-21 internationalist does not figure in Easter Road manager Mixu Paatelainen's future plans.