Colls Sign Former Southampton Youngster

Atherton Collieries have signed attacking midfielder Jamal Branker from Evo-Stik Premier Division side Salford City. He made his Colls debut from the bench on Tuesday night at Bootle and was made to feel welcome by his brand new team mates. Branker spent ten years as a youth player at Southampton before going on to play non-league football in the south of the country for a couple of seasons following serious injury. During his time at Southampton, Branker was loaned out to AFC Totton. He then went on to have spells at Slough Town and Frome Town before moving to Marlow where he started the campaign. He made 15 appearances, scoring six times in the Southern League Division One South & West before making the move up to Manchester. Manager Michael Clegg has said, “Jamal was recommended to us by Anthony Johnson at Salford. He was in the Southampton youth team with Luke Shaw and Ward-Prowse and was there for 10 years.” “He had a bad injury a few years ago which has held him back so he is coming in to help the squad with the run in and add further quality.” “What we want to do is put out a first 11 of real quality, and with players like Jamal we really are able to do that.” “He’s a quiet lad, but he has really settled with the group and was tremendous in the last 15 minutes at Bootle on Tuesday night.”