Marksman Toner joins new boys Bala
Wednesday 24 June 2009
John TonerBALA boss Colin Caton has made his second major signing of the week by landing former prolific TNS striker John Toner.
Fifth on the league's all-time scorers' list, 32-year-old Toner was released after 10 seasons with the Saints and was the longest-serving player at Park Hall, also holding the TNS scoring record with 112 goals from 181 (+79 sub) Welsh Premier appearances.
A former Liverpool trainee, Toner started his domestic league career with Cemaes Bay before scoring 38 goals from 49 games for Conwy United.
He joined TNS in 1999 and played in the side that won the league title for the first time, going on to lift three further championship medals under manager and former strike partner Ken McKenna.
Toner also played in the Saints' sides that won the Welsh Cup, League Cup and FAW Premier Cup and made 14 appearances in Europe, scoring in the club's first-ever Champions League tie against Estonians Levadia Maardu and in the Uefa Cup defeat to Amica Wronki of Poland.
He scored 18 times from 17 (+13) league appearances last season and notched his 150th Welsh Premier goal against Caersws.
On Tuesday, Bala announced the signing of midfielder Ricky Evans, a former team-mate of Toner at TNS.