Stirton to strengthen City’s promotion push

by Damir Kulas 0

Dandenong City have continued their summer signing spree following the recruitment of striker David Stirton from the Port Melbourne Sharks.

The 25-year-old is reunited at Frank Holohan Reserve with coach Stuart Munro, who handed him his senior debut while at Dandenong Thunder in 2009.

From there onwards he was part of the Melbourne Victory Youth team under Mehmet Durakovic as well as spending 2011 with the Victorian Training Centre.

A move to newly-promoted Southern Stars in 2012 followed, with Stirton’s eight-goal season haul helping Dean Hennessey’s Dingley-based outfit avoid relegation.

He then made the switch to the Bentleigh Greens in 2013, spending two years at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex, which saw him partner the likes of Luke Sherbon and Brent McGrath up front.

A VPL Grand Final runner-up in 2013, Stirton played his part as the Greens made it to the final four of the inaugural FFA Cup the following year, even though he had already departed the club by season’s end.

He next joined South Melbourne in 2015 but struggled with injury and inconsistency throughout the campaign, which saw his former side defeat Hellas in the 2015 Grand Final at Lakeside Stadium.

Nevertheless, the forward still managed to claim league honours by winning the Premiership, in addition to a Dockerty Cup triumph.

Stirton then joined the Sharks in 2016, netting six goals over the course of the campaign in a frustrating season for player and club alike.

In total he has scored 37 league goals in 119 games in the Victorian top flight, and had originally agreed to recommit with Port ahead of the upcoming season before having a change of mind.

He joins an assembly of big names to have joined Hajduk ahead of season kick-off next month, with former Melbourne City and Adelaide United winger Mate Dugandzic the pick of the new faces.

Returning favourite Steven Topalovic is also joined by former Hume City centre-forward Paul Harvey, as well as English brother pairing Shaun and James Kelly.

Dandenong City kick-off their 2017 NPL2 campaign with a mouth-watering first round match up against local rivals Dandenong Thunder in the season opener on Friday February 3 at George Andrews Reserve.