Danny Lafferty Joins from Radcliffe

Atherton Collieries can announce that centre half Danny Lafferty has joined the club from Evo-Stik Division One North side Radcliffe Borough. Lafferty had been captain at Radcliffe Borough either side of a brief spell at Trafford at the beginning of last season. The centre half will become Michael Clegg's first signing of the summer but the manager admits there may not be many more new additions to a settled squad, he said, "We are looking to bring in two or three new players to add further strength to our side from last season. Obviously we have achieved an awful lot of the last two years and the signing of Danny will help us build on this," "Danny is the first player we have approached this summer and we are happy that he has chosen to sign for us. We have been after him for some time because when we have played against Radcliffe he has been able to keep Mark Battersby relatively quiet which is never an easy thing to do," Fellow defender Mark Ayres partnered Lafferty during their time together at Stainton Park and Clegg is hoping this will help the new signing settle into his new surroundings, he explained, "Ayres and Lafferty know each other already so that will help when they line up alongside each other. Like Ayres, Lafferty is able to get forward and be a threat in the other area which always a positive you look for in a defender," Lafferty will be in line to make his debut for Collieries when they take on Bolton Wanderers on Saturday 2nd July.