AFC Telford United have pulled off one of the transfer coups of the summer – signing Northern Ireland international James Lawrie.
The 19-year-old has two senior caps for his country and has penned a one-year deal with the Bucks after his release by Port Vale in May.
He went straight into the squad for Tuesday’s friendly at home to Wolves, playing 90 minutes.
Boss Andy Sinton said: “He showed lots of nice little touches and he’ll be a real asset to the squad.”
Forward Lawrie was regarded as a hot prospect at Vale Park and even went on trial at Premier League giants Everton last pre-season. He made 27 appearances for the Valiants and also had 10 games on loan at Kidderminster last season.
But he lost his way under current Vale boss Micky Adams and joins Telford after trials at Exeter, Stevenage and Morecambe.
“He’s someone I knew about and I asked about him before I even got the job,” said Sinton. “I didn’t really think I could get him and I knew he’d be going on trial with League clubs first – and rightly so.
“But he’s not got himself fixed up and he just wants to come and play some football.
“He’s a full international and Northern Ireland are no pushovers,” added Sinton. “I hope he will be a signing that excites people, it’s a little bit of a coup for the club.
“He’s had a setback in the last few months and he needs to be working with people who believe in him.”
Meanwhile, winger Matt Blair, who finished last season with Telford, has signed for Kidderminster Harriers after spending the summer on trial at Aggborough.
Winger Sean Evans faces the rest of the season on the sidelines after suffering an horrific broken leg.
Evans had been on the pitch for less than a minute in Tuesday’s 4-2 friendly defeat to Wolves when he suffered the injury in an innocuous block tackle with visiting midfielder David Davis.
Andy Sinton revealed afterwards: “I went to see him in hospital and saw the X-ray – it’s a very bad break.
“The lower part of the shin is broken in two places and it’s displaced so the bones need lining up.
“He’ll be very lucky to play again this season, that looks like a write-off. Hopefully he’ll come back from it and we’ll do the best we can to support him.
“He’d done okay in pre-season and would definitely have been in the 16-man squad for Saturday (the Blue Square Bet North opener with Hyde).”
Striker Andy Brown missed the game with a tight hamstring while left-back Sean Newton went off with concussion and Danny Carey-Bertram suffered a pulled hamstring.
Midfielder Paul Harrison is also a doubt for the start of the season as his international clearance has not yet come through from the Spanish FA.
All that has left Sinton admitting he may need to move to bring in extra bodies ahead of Saturday’s curtain raiser.
By Chris Hudson and Alex James