Paddy Barrett is back in the League of Ireland after calling time on his brief stint in Cambodia.
The centre-back has today signed for St Patrick’s Athletic who have also swooped for West Ham prospect Alfie Lewis.
Barrett, 27, joined Preah Khan Svay Rieng before Christmas but failed to settle and has returned home.
The former Dundalk, Waterford and Galway United defender had been in America with FC Cincinnati and Indy Eleven before that.
Barrett said today: “It’s great to be part of St Pat’s and thankfully we got things done on time before the window.
“I left the League of Ireland three-and-a-half years ago to travel and play football and that’s what I’ve done.
“The move to Cambodia didn’t work out the way I wanted it to for numerous reasons and I said to myself that I wanted to come back home to play in Ireland.
“Stephen O’Donnell reached out to me and it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down to play for a club as big as St Pat’s.”
Barrett continued: “I’ve played against St Pat’s and at Richmond Park numerous times, I’ve kept an eye on the league over the last few years.
“I was really excited when Stephen reached out. We’ve got Shamrock Rovers away in Tallaght on the opening night and I can’t wait to get going.”
Barrett was a team-mate of Saints boss O’Donnell at Dundalk and the manager said: “I have a good relationship with Paddy from our time together.
“He’s another high calibre player with good European experience. He’s at the perfectage now for a centre-back.
“He’s a high quality addition to the squad and I’m really looking forward to working with him.
“He will add good depth and good competition for places at centre-back with Lee Desmond, Sam Bone and Cian Kelly, we’re going to need all of them.”
