Ex-Raith Rovers defender Dougie Hill joins Berwick Rangers

The Edinburgh-born 38-year-old is new manager Thomas Scobbie’s first new signing since he took over from previous gaffer Stuart Malcolm last month.

The veteran defender was a team-mate of Scobbie’s at Kelty Hearts, helping the Fifers, now in Scottish League One, win promotion to the division below as Lowland League champions in 2021.

Hill was at Kelty from 2020 until July this year, rejoining Cowdenbeath briefly after that.

His contract with Rangers runs until the end of May.

Former Falkirk and St Johnstone full-back Scobbie reckons Hill’s fifth-tier and higher-league experience will prove invaluable as Berwick look to salvage their season following a seven-game winless streak.

“I have known Dougie for many years and know what qualities he will bring to the group as a whole,” said the 35-year-old.

“He has a tremendous amount of experience, reads the game well and will help the younger ones around him.

“This is a real coup for the club as I know there were quite a few clubs interested in Dougie.”

Hill – also previously with Alloa Athletic, Brechin City and Dumbarton – goes straight into Berwick’s squad ahead of their game at home at Shielfield Park to Caledonian Braves this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.

Rangers go into that match sitting 15th in the table, with 17 points from as many fixtures, one league place and two points worse off than their visitors but with a game in hand, and they’ll be looking to stop Braves notching up a winning double against them, having lost the reverse fixture in Motherwell 1-0 in July.

Goalkeeper Thomas Kay and defensive midfielder Kane O’Connor have signed new deals with the Northumbrian club too.

Kay, 18, joined Berwick in July 2022 and O’Connor, 22, in May this year, though he’s been out of action since rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament in a pre-season friendly against Sunderland in July and will miss the rest of the current campaign.

Kay was previously with Falkirk boys’ club Kerse United and O’Connor with Brentford B, Cowdenbeath, Elgin City and Tranent Juniors.