Graham Cummins: Seanie Maguire's return is a statement of intent from Cork City

Although the signing of Ruairi Keating was seen as a show of intent from Cork City, the arrival of Sean Maguire sends out a strong statement from the Rebel Army that they mean business again. 

Keating is a good player but having endured a difficult time at St Patrick’s Athletic, I’m not sure he would have had a host of clubs to choose from, however, Maguire probably could have signed for any club he wanted in Ireland.

It is an unbelievable signing for City and one that puts them back on the map in Irish football. 

For anyone who has been to the past several games at Turner's Cross, I think it’s fair to say that the atmosphere has been a bit subdued, because of the division City are playing in and the lead they have at the top of the table. 

Attendances have not been what they were at the beginning of the season, but Maguire’s arrival will bring a new excitement around Turner's Cross and I’m sure will increase the attendance figures.

People will probably talk about the wages Maguire is earning to come back to City and are they something the club can afford, but much like when Cristiano Ronaldo signs for a club, and the club have to pay a hefty fee for his services, they do recoup a lot of that in merchandising and ticket sales. 

Now I’m not saying Maguire will sell out City jerseys but he will bring more spectators through the gates at Turner's Cross, thus increasing revenue for the club.

I was and I wasn’t surprised by Maguire’s return. 

I think it’s fair to say that his career hasn’t gone to plan over the past two seasons and he has struggled. 

Being released by Carlisle United, a club that had just been relegated to League 2, meant that he was probably at best going to sign for a club in the same league. 

From the reports we have read recently about what players are earning playing in Ireland, there isn’t too big a gap between the wages here and what those in the bottom half of League 2 are paying - probably the clubs Maguire would have been looking to sign for.

So having not done well in the last two years, he is probably low on confidence and probably needs to play for a club where he knows that he is going to be loved. 

If he signed for a club in England, there might have been a few who would have been excited by his signing but there might have been others that would have been more worried about his record particularly over the past two years. 

At City, he is going to be adored by everyone because he is one of the greatest ever players to play for the club.

If his plan was always to return to Ireland someday then coming back now makes sense because he has just had his first child with his wife Claudia, who is from Cork, which would have been a major factor, because they want to live somewhere where they have family close by when you have a newborn.

However Maguire is risking his iconic status by rejoining City. 

If he comes back and things don’t go to plan, although he will always be regarded as one of the greats to have played for City, the freshest perception in supporters' minds of Maguire, was that he wasn’t good enough during his second spell. 

I’m speaking from experience.

Right now when people think of Maguire, they think about that unstoppable player who terrorised defences, was the ultimate goalscorer, and although he left the club almost halfway through a season, was the reason City won the league in 2017.

However, he is no longer that player. 

At that time he had Championship clubs queuing up to sign him and was on the verge of becoming a full international. 

Now he’s just been released by Carlisle United, who were relegated from League One in League Two during Maguire’s only season at the club, and one which he scored twice in the league.

I hope he does succeed because as I wrote, going to some City games lately have been a bit tedious but if Maguire is anything like the player during his first spell with the club then we are in for a treat. 

No matter how he performs, you have to give credit to the club for the ambition they have shown by signing him.