SQUAD PROFILE - Matteo Bovalino (11)

NAME: Matteo Bovalino

BIRTHPLACE: Genoa
YEAR OF BIRTH: 1984
POSITION: Midfielder
CLUB APPEARANCES: 61
GOALS: 23
DEBUT: Hattrick Fed - Dunfermline 4-2 (2006/07)

BEST MATCH: Sampierdarena - Dunfermline 1-2 (2007/08)
PREVIOUS CLUBS: Genoa, Sestrese, Praese
OFF THE PITCH: Matteo Bovalino is a trainee insurance broker with an international firm.

Matteo Bovalino was recruited by Clegg midway through the Pars' first competitive season 2006/07 and soon established himself as one of the team's leading players.

He sat out on the final few games of the season through injury, but was back in the fold as soon as the following season got under way.

During the promotion winning campaign in 2007/08, he was the only player not to miss a game throughout the whole season and while his excellent technique had long been known to his teammates, his commitment on the pitch, in terms of running and defending, made him stand out even more, and he even netted 11 goals, some of which absolutely crucial in the quest for promotion.

During the 2008/09 he, more than others, suffered from a lack of collective cohesion within the team, and at one stage even thought of walking out on the club owing to a lack of serenity which was affecting his personal life and his performances on the pitch.

Once such issues got solved, he was back to his best and tried to lift his teammates' spirits in the final push for promotion which, unfortunately, didn't materialise.

The Primavera Tournament, with Vanin back at the helm and everything falling into place again, represented a definite return to the Bovalino of old, the one widely known and loved.

And he's continuing on that same path now the season is fast approaching...