Scunthorpe United manager Andy Butler has brought back a familiar face after agreeing a free-transfer deal for defender Reagan Ogle, who rejoins the Iron following his exit from League Two side Oldham Athletic. The 27-year-old Australian right-back has put pen to paper on a one-year contract that runs from 1 July, becoming the fourth summer arrival at the Attis Arena as Butler continues to reshape his squad for the new campaign.
Ogle's return will delight supporters who remember his first spell in claret and blue fondly. He originally joined Scunthorpe from Hartlepool United in the summer of 2022 and made an immediate impact, racking up 38 league appearances in his debut season and sweeping the club's end-of-season awards, including the prestigious Ernie Storey Memorial Trophy. Across two years at the club he made 77 appearances in total, scoring once, in a 6-1 win over Bishop's Stortford, before his contract expired and he opted to join National League rivals Oldham in 2024.
That move initially paid off handsomely. Ogle was Oldham's first signing ahead of the 2024-25 season and played a key role as the Latics won promotion back into the Football League, beating Southend United in an extra-time thriller in the play-off final at Wembley. It was reported to be a landmark achievement for the defender, reputedly the first footballer from his hometown of Wollongong to appear at the famous stadium. However, his second season at Boundary Park was disrupted by a serious spinal injury that ruled him out from the turn of the year until the penultimate match of the campaign, and despite being offered fresh terms to remain in League Two, he has chosen to head back to North Lincolnshire instead.
For Butler, the capture represents smart business - a versatile, experienced defender who already knows the club, the fanbase and, presumably, the demands of life at Step 1 of the non-league pyramid. Ogle's homecoming follows a busy period of recruitment at Scunthorpe, with the club also having added versatile winger Kyle Hurst on a free transfer following his release by Doncaster Rovers, as well as a pair of players from Gibraltar. With pre-season friendlies edging closer, Butler will be hoping his rebuilt squad can hit the ground running when the National League campaign gets under way, with Ogle once again expected to be a mainstay of the side that competed so admirably during his first stint at the club.
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