Allan Johnston has added another Boro boy to his Queen of the South squad ahead of tomorrow’s crunch clash with Dunfermline.
Attacker Sam Folarin has joined from Middlesbrough until the end of the season on loan.
The 21-year-old becomes the third player to switch from the Riverside to Palmerston in recent years following winger Izzy Jones and keeper Sol Brynn.
Folarin joined Boro in 2019 and scored his first senior goal against Brentford in the FA Cup last year.
Manager Allan Johnston said “I have said in recent weeks that I want us to be more of an attacking threat. Sam is the type of player who I think will give us more options to do that.
“We are building a good relationship with Middlesbrough which has so far been beneficial to both clubs and hopefully Sam will excite the fans in the same way as the others who have joined us from The Riverside.”
Folarin will join the squad ahead of the first of many cup finals between now and the end of the season when Queens take on Dunfermline tomorrow.
The clash at Palmerston pits bottom and second bottom against each other but the manager knows his side won’t be out of danger even with three points.
Johnston said: “It’s the first of many cup finals because it’s not just one game that’s going to get us out of this position, we need to go on a run.
“It’s a massive game, as they’re all going to be, between now and the end of the season.”
The Palmerston boss is anticipating a tight encounter between the two sides with John Hughes’ outfit just one point ahead of their Dumfries rivals in the league.
Johnston said: “One thing is for sure, they’ll be fired up for the game the same as us.
“They know the position they’re in and they’ve got really good players.
“I think if anyone said at the start of the season Dunfermline would’ve been struggling down at the bottom they’d have thought you were crazy as they should be up there challenging.
“It’s difficult. They’ve got a big fan base as well with big expectations so I’m sure there’s a lot of pressure there as well.
“I’m sure Mark Connolly’s loan deal has come to an end so there will be changes in the squad.
“And I’m sure they’ll be trying to strengthen as well over the coming weeks.”
The South played a bounce game at the weekend against Gretna but training has remained the same this week for the squad.
Johnston said: “Preparation hasn’t really changed too much.
“The most important thing is making sure everybody is ready for Dunfermline.”
