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FC United of Manchester - have announced the signing of Tunji Moses, the son of former Manchester United midfielder Remi Moses, after he parted with old club Salford City. Moses is an all-action midfielder in the same mould as his famous father and FC United manager Karl Marginson is expecting big things from him next season. Unfortunately, fans may have to wait until December to see their new man in action after he serves a suspension and recovers from an ankle injury. But Marginson is excited about his newest requisition and feels that Moses joining is testament to his plans for an incredible fourth promotion push this season. He said: "I first came across Tunji when I was still playing for Radcliffe Borough and he was at Oldham Town. "I was impressed with his obvious tackling strength, which he gets from his dad, but also by his ability on the ball. He will add that bit of muscle to our midfield, which I felt we lacked on occasions last season. "We’ve got some good ball players, but we sometimes lost the ball too much in midfield and struggled to get it back. Tunji will help with that. Marginson used to watch Moses senior from the Stretford End at Manchester United in the 1980s. He added: "Remi was a great player and I loved watching him. I went to the same primary school in Ancoats and he was a local hero. I knew his cousins when we were growing up so I’ve known the family a long time. "I really hope Remi comes along to a game because it’s great to keep the links with United’s past alive at FC."

Leigh Genesis - another busy week of signings for Steve Bleasdale, manager of UniBond League Premier Division club Leigh Genesis. Leigh completed the signing of former Liverpool and Marine striker Karl O'Donnell after earlier completing the capture of former Blackburn Rovers and Fleetwood Town man Jerome Watt. O'Donnell was an impressive performer as a substitute in last Tuesday's 5-0 pre-season friendly victory over Atherton Collieries, scoring the final goal of the Leigh victory, a deft lob over the keeper in stoppage time. The 22-year-old striker, who has Blue Square North experience with Vauxhall Motors, came through the same Liverpool youth team as Genesis keeper Tim Dittmer and has also appeared in the UniBond Premier with Marine. With his pace and eye for goal, O'Donnell is sure to provide a valuable addition to the Genesis squad alongside fellow strikers Richard Chetcuti, Jordan Stepien and Darren Mansaram. Watt was particularly impressive on the left-hand side of the Genesis midfield against Collieries, producing a dazzling performance that included a majestic pass to create his side's fifth goal for O'Donnell, impressing supporters and manager alike. The 23-year-old began his career as a trainee with Blackburn Rovers, spending two years at Ewood Park before a loan spell with Belgian League side Cercle Brugge. Upon his return to English football, Watt played ten games for Northampton Town during 2006/07 followed by loan periods with Morecambe and Salisbury City. Watt started last season with League Two side Rochdale before joining Southport, leaving Haig Avenue to spend the majority of the season alongside fellow Leigh Genesis newcomer Jerome Fitzgerald in Fleetwood`s UniBond Premier side.
Ashton United - have confirmed the signings of defenders Stephen Rose, Craig Robinson and Alex Frost. Rose and Robinson have both plied their trade in the Blue Square North and National over the past couple of years and Frost has been playing for Team Bath whilst studying at University. All three will bring some strength and experience to the Robins squad. Johnson was obviously delighted with his three new signings and sets off for his family holiday a very happy man. “I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have secured the signatures of these three players,” he said. “I initially spoke with Stephen Rose back in May and, along with Ian Kearney, he was one of my main summer targets. “He has done the majority of pre-season training with us and he is really looking forward to pulling on an Ashton United shirt. Rosey left Altrincham midway through last season due to various reasons but has played around 150 games for them over the past four years. “Having spent a few months out of the game he has one or two minor niggles following a few tough pre-season training sessions but he is working closely with our physio and should be fit and ready to compete for a starting spot come the 16th August. “Rosey won’t thank me for saying this but I can’t believe he is only 27 years of age and with that still has many years left in him at this level. “He has expressed his desire to play in the centre of our defence. However, I have outlined to him that I plan to do things slightly different this season, especially away from home and I have a specific role that I would like him to play. “He can operate at either full back and in the centre of midfield so has loads to offer but more than anything else he is looking forward to a fresh start and a new challenge.” Robinson joins Ashton from Vauxhall Motors, whom he joined in January of this year from Hyde United. He is a quality defender and will bring some strength and physical presence to the squad. Johnson added: “Robbo has buckets loads of ability and is extremely comfortable on the ball. He will definitely get the ball down and play when he can but will also match anyone in this league physically. “I spoke to Robbo about a month or so ago but I didn’t really believe I had any chance of signing a player of his calibre. However, we had a good chat and although Vauxhall wanted to keep hold of him, he has decided to join us, even though he had an eleventh hour approach from another Blue Square North club. “Craig is familiar with the Tameside area and I think I am right in saying that he was a major player when Droylsden won the Conference North not so long ago. “Alex Frost has come very highly recommended and, after speaking to a few people about him and seeing him perform in a few training games, I have decided to offer him a deal that he has accepted. “The first time we saw him train, Danny Jones and I said to each other that he could well be the find of pre-season and after four or five sessions I still have that same opinion. “Frosty is comfortable at either right back or centre half, has a great engine and excellent ability on the ball. He is a fantastic lad as well and has fitted into our changing room very nicely. I am really looking forward to working with all three of the new lads.” This now brings Johnson’s new signings to six, with central defender Ian Kearney and goalkeepers Terry Smith and Ashley Connor all signing on the dotted line over the past few weeks. However, the manager still hasn’t finished there and has a number of excellent young lads training with the squad and he hopes to sit down with all of them on his return from holiday. Johnson added: “I possibly need to add another forward and defender to the squad, although they will have to be of the right quality. I also have a couple of excellent young lads down with us and I will be sitting down with them all when I get back from holiday to see if they fancy being part of the squad. “I am very excited and happy with the signings I have made and I believe we are in much better shape than we were twelve months ago. I don’t need to sign any more players now but I will hopefully be tying down two or three of the young lads that will top my squad up to about twenty. I doubt very much I will be able to keep twenty players happy but I will give it my best shot and look to link up with a couple of local clubs to get players games when they won’t be figuring with the first-team. I can now name sixteen players on a match day, therefore I believe we will need a squad of around twenty players to cover for injurie, suspensions etc.”
Worksop Town - manager Peter Rinkcavage is pleased with his side's recent performance in a friendly against Gainsborough Trinity and highlighted the role of new signing Andy Lee. The Tigers boss believes Lee is an exciting addition to his squad and watched him score his first goal for the club in the first half. Rinkcavage said: "Andy signed for us from Bradford Park Avenue and he had a cracking game last Tuesday night." "He can play on either wing and he gives us a lot of options, so we're really pleased to have him." "Our first half performance on Tuesday was really good. Most teams put out a strong team in the first half and we were 2-0 up at half time, against Trinity's first side." The manager is still casting his eye over a number of triallists but says he needs more time to make firm decisions on whether to make them permanent. He said: "We've got some young players who look good in training but it's early yet, we've got some games left to take a look at them."
Eastwood Town - have pulled off a major signing in their bid to win promotion from the UniBond League Premier Division. Mansfield Town striker Ian Holmes put pen-to-paper to take Paul Cox's close season signings to nine. The Badgers beat off stiff competition from both League and Conference clubs to sign the striker on a one-year contract with the option to extend at the end of the season. Holmes fired Matlock Town into the play-offs in 2007, becoming the UniBond Premier`s leading goalscorer with thirty-four goals. He joined Mansfield for an `undisclosed` fee at the start of last season and went on to score three goals in nineteen appearances, of which fourteen were as a substitute - this included the winner in the FA Cup Third Round win at Brighton. Holmes spent the latter part of last season at AFC Telford United after declining offers from Altrincham, Gainsborough Trinity and Alfreton Town. He was released by the Stags at the end of the season. Holmes signing will give Cox a welcomed headache for next season. He now has four class strikers to keep happy each week in Marc Smith, Matt Rhead, Tristram Whitman and Ian Holmes, and the increase in competition will ensure the players are at the top of their game. Hot on the heels of signing Holmes, Eastwood have announced the capture of Anton Foster from UniBond Premier rivals Buxton. Foster started his career as a trainee at Queens Park Rangers. On his latest capture Cox said: "I have known Anton since his days at Ilkeston Town when Jon Ramshaw and myself ran the academy at Hucknall. The progress he has made since then has been fantastic and I think it is fair to say that he was probably rated as the best central midfielder in the UniBond Premier last season. “When the chairman asked us to write down our `top ten targets` in the summer, we had to put Foster down, but I never expected to get him as I knew he had signed a long-term contract at Buxton. However, things can change very quickly in football and I am pleased we have managed to bring the player in for next season's campaign."
Ilkeston Town - Jon Douglas has re-signed for UniBond League Premier Division club Ilkeston Town, much to the delight of manager David Holdsworth. The striker was originally released at the end of the 2007/08 campaign and looked set to join British Gas Business Southern League Division One Midlands outfit Bedworth United. But Douglas, who first joined the Reds in January from Lincoln United, has decided to stay after negotiations with Holdsworth. “I'm pleased that Jon has re-signed. He has an appettite and a desire to do well,” said Holdsworth. “He felt that he underachieved last year but, under myself, we can develop him into a vital part of the squad. “He's an intelligent chap and more than willing to learn.”

Frickley Athletic - have added a further signing to their squad as Antony Jackson put pen-to-paper to return to Westfield Lane. Twenty-seven-year-old Jackson is well known to most Frickley fans, having spent 2002/03 and 2003/04 seasons with the Blues before moving to Worksop Town. Meanwhile, two more of last season's squad have re-signed for the new season with Steve Robinson and Steve Heath putting pen-to-paper on non-contract forms. Robinson, however, will miss the opening two games of the season due to a suspension carried over from last season but the news that Heath is likely to be fully fit for the start of the season is a tremendous boost to the club. Heath is recovering extremely well following the removal of a cancerous tumour towards the end of last season and is taking full part in pre-season training.

Matlock Town - Supporters of UniBond League Premier Division club Matlock Town have the chance to say `goodbye` to their former skipper James Lukic and `welcome back` to midfielder Steve Warne when Blackburn Rovers visit Causeway Lane on Wednesday, July 23rd. The Lancashire Premiership visitors are making their second visit to Matlock, this time providing the opposition for Lukic's testimonial game - his last appearance in a Matlock shirt before joining up with his new team-mates at Blue Square North Gainsborough Trinity. Blackburn were last at Matlock in an FA Cup First Round tie back in November 1974 as leaders of the old Third Division and, despite a battling performance from an emerging home side which went on to lift the FA Trophy at Wembley at the end of that season, Rovers went through to the next round by a 4-1 margin in front of the second highest crowd to watch a game at Causeway Lane, 5,119. Safety considerations prevent that attendance having a chance of being matched on Wednesday but Lukic , still only 26, deserves a grand send off having made 432 appearances for the Gladiators since making his debut as a 16-year-old substitute in a Derbyshire Senior Cup game with Glossop North End back in February 1999. With Rovers also on tour in Spain and Portugal they are unlikely to send a full strength squad, but as Matlock joint boss Phil Brown emphasises, they should still present formidable opposition. "I can remember being at Gainsborough some seasons back when Manchester United sent reserves and fringe players and they went and beat us 10-0 so it'll be a great workout for us against some young fit lads and probable stars of the future with some recognisable names probably after match fitness. “But this is also Lukey's night, his testimonial and we hope he has a great night and it`s a cracking game. He has been a wonderful servant to Matlock Town and has been `Captain Fantastic` for us and I sincerely hope that the Matlock public and non league fans in general turn out in numbers to pay tribute to a great player who always gives his all." Lukic will definitely play for Matlock on Wednesday but Warne's return comes a little earlier as Matlock play their first pre-season friendly at Staveley Miners Welfare on Saturday. Warne's stay at Alfreton Town proved only to be a brief one. He left the Gladiators to join the Reds last October but as joint manager Gareth Williams candidly put it "His heart is at Matlock" meaning that the 24 year old jumped at the chance of a return to Causeway Lane, with Matlock paying a nominal fee for his services. He became Brown and Williams' fifth summer signing, linking up with defenders Ashley Foyle and Lee Featherstone, midfielder Liam King and striker Ross Hannah. "We're absolutely delighted to have Steve back for he's been a highly influential player for us in the past," said Brown. "We feel we've got another really good signing and if he can recapture the form he was in for us before he left, then he'll be outstanding.The training sessions he's had with us so far were like he'd never been away. He was straight back into it and it was great to see him have the same old rapport with the lads." Warne's arrival might not be the last for Brown indicated that if the right player became available within the finances available, the Gladiators would be looking to add him to their squad. Matlock will give a run out to most of their squad at Staveley with the exception of Paul Riley, Nathan Benger and Ross Hannah. Benger gets married on Friday and is away on honeymoon, while Hannah is on holiday and will also be missing against Blackburn but back in time to line up against Chesterfield in the Banner Jones Trophy next Friday. Riley though is Matlock's first injury scare of the new campaign. The former Notts County winger who had an outstanding 2007/08 season has picked up a knee injury, ironically in the other knee to the one which was giving him discomfort towards the end of last term., with the first injury now appearing to have disappeared. "We're trying to get the knee scanned as we're not entirely sure of the extent of the injury yet," Brown explained. "It's just flared up. Naturally we're hoping it's not too serious but we'll have to wait and see. We can't play him for a week or two at least though." UniBondDivision One South neighbours Belper Town have snapped up striker Ben Kistell, released by Matlock during the summer after the Blues could not guarantee him first-team football. Meanwhile, off the pitch a planning application has been lodged with the Derbyshire Dales District Council for the new stand and Social Club which is planned for the Dene Fields side of the Causeway Lane ground. Also incorporated in the plans are four changing rooms for mixed community use, a boardroom and raised spectator viewing so that fans can have a special panoramic view of the action on the pitch. Club spokesman Jason Beaumont commented: "We hope that planning consent will be given and that we can press on to have the new facility fully operational in readiness for the 2009/10 season. We feel that this is a further positive move by the club to follow on from the excellent signings Phil and Gareth have made, together with the return of our reserve side plus the new junior set up. We want the local community to feel part of the football club and we want them to share what will be our wonderful facilities at Causeway Lane and to enjoy coming to watch Matlock Town."
© Kendal Town Football Club 2008