“Keith is a fantastic signing,” he said. “I’ve been tracking him for a while as he took the best part of a year out of the game to get married. I spoke to him a couple of weeks ago and he said he wasn’t going back to England so I invited him to train with us. He was brilliant to deal with in terms of our finances and we are delighted to have him on board. His quality has stood out already in training.”

Treacy will be joined at United Park by former Derry City and Athlone Town full-back Roddy Collins Jr who, following spells with Crystal Palace and Luton Town, adds to McDonnell’s options as Drogheda look to push clear of the relegation zone.

“Roddy is only home back from England and he adds good depth to our squad,” said the manager. “He can play anywhere across the defence and in midfield so he will be an important option for us between now and the end of the season.”