DEFENDER Rhys Breen did not have to think twice when Annan Athletic boss Wullie Gibson asked him to come to Galabank on loan.

The 24-year-old knows the manager well after a previous spell at Queen of the South, who he joined on loan from Rangers, in 2021.

Later that year, Breen signed permanently for Dunfermline Athletic in the summer. And he has now joined the Black and Golds on loan from the Pars until January 2025.

Breen said: “I knew some of the boys here, I knew what the gaffer wanted and I knew where the club was going.

“It was a no-brainer for me to come here to get game time and help the team out. Hopefully we can continue to climb up the ladder.

“I played the gaffer at Queen of the South, so I know him well. We’ve had a good relationship since then.

“I’m loving coming in here, it’s a great bunch of lads.”

Reflecting on Friday night’s 4-1 defeat to Queen’s Park in the SPFL Trust Trophy, Breen added: “We’re gutted about the result, but we came up against a good side.

“Some of the goals that we lost were a bit slack, we’ll look over that.

“But I thought in the last 20 minutes we put on a lot of pressure.

“There’s a lot to take out the game. Although we got beat, I thought the boys were really good in some areas of the game.”

‘What a feeling’

EVEN though Breen has played just three games since arriving on loan at Annan, he has already etched himself into club history.

His wonder goal from inside his own half against Montrose earlier this month is arguably the best ever scored at Galabank.

To put the icing on the cake, the audacious lob turned out to be the winner as Athletic beat the Gable Endies 1-0 in the League One clash.

Breen said: “I’ve tried it many times and it’s not succeeded. The second the ball left my foot I knew it was a clean hit, but originally I thought it was over the bar.

“What a feeling. I just kept on going on my phone to watch it and rewinding it because I couldn’t believe it.

“My family were here to see it and that made it even better.

“I don’t think I will score many better. I do think goals are something I need to add to my game.

“I had a couple of shouts not to shoot. I actually originally said to Paul McGowan, because I noticed the keeper was off his line.

“Gowser said he wasn’t going to reach that far, so I thought I would take matters into my own hands and what a feeling it was.

“I think the three points was massive, but obviously to get a goal like that was unbelievable.

“I was getting compared to Beckham and all that. I’m not quite yet; hopefully I can get there one day!”

Tam Muir’s red card against Kelty Hearts has also resulted in Breen pulling on the captain’s armband for the last two fixtures.

He added: “The gaffer pulled me in before Montrose and just said it was because I’d been really loud and brought good energy to the squad.

“But I think anybody in the team can be a leader, not just me.”

It is a return to league duty this Saturday, with a long trip up to Inverness.

Breen said: “It’s a hard place. Obviously what’s happening up there we can’t take into consideration. We need to go up and just make sure we get the three points.”