Calum Smith has been handed the best New Year's gift a player could hope for with Michael O'Neill rewarding the player's efforts in recent weeks with a 6 month contract extension.

The 19 year old former Dunfermline Athletic striker has scored in every one of Brechin City's last three games and, with his contract running out in January, O'Neill was keen to tie him and midfield team-mate Neil Janczyk on deals which will take them through until the end of the season.

"Both these players have contributed a great deal for us and they deserve to get a bit more security for their efforts," said the manager.

"Calum is only a young lad and people tend for forget we are asking a player of just 19 to go out week after week at the minutes and take all the kicks and scrapes going. His response to that has been excellent though. His attitude is first class and, while he still has a lot to learn, there is no-one here that can fault his work rate.

"Neil is a different type. He has had a few clubs and has been told previously that he had to show us a level of consistency. There is no doubting his abaility though. He is a pure footballer and on of the most laid-back characters I have ever met in the game.

"We will be doing some more business in the coming weeks and I had a meeting with the committee before Saturday's win against Ayr United so we could thrash out what we are going to try and do in January.

"But how many players we bring in may be dictated to a certain extent by how well we continue to play in the next couple of weeks. Everyone knows where we are stronger and where we need to add to the squad, but the players already there haven't done a bad job in the last few weeks."