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Archived News from May 2002

DEFENDERS EXPECTED TO SIGN
8th May 2002 12:49


DEFENDERS EXPECTED TO SIGN
Evening Post, 08 May 2002
TELFORD defender Neil Moore and former Walsall centre-half Dion Scott should be Mansfield Town players by the end of the day.
Stags manager Stuart Watkiss said he was hoping to tie up deals with two players today and I understand both Scott and Moore, who has Premiership experience with Everton, have accepted deals to join the Field Mill club.
They were both due to undergo a medical today.
Watkiss has seen the middle of his defence as his priority as Adam Barrett was allowed to leave the club on a free transfer and skipper Les Robinson was put on the transfer list.
Watkiss lost the services of Stuart Hicks two months ago through retirement and that leaves Stuart Reddington as the only central defender he has at his disposal.
But Moore, who joined Telford in March 2000 after spells at Macclesfield, Burnley and Norwich City, should be a valuable asset.
The 29-year-old from Liverpool made four appearances for Everton and has also played on loan at Blackpool, Oldham, Carlisle and Rotherham, where he played in the same defence as Stags assistant manager Neil Richardson.
He has also featured in the England semi-professional side this season and is understood to have also interested Conference challengers Doncaster Rovers.
He will be available on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling.
Scott, who was released by Walsall manager Colin Lee on a free transfer at the end of the season, has been tracked by Watkiss for some time.
The 21-year-old defender appeared for Mansfield reserves in their final game of the season at Rochdale and he enjoyed a successful spell on loan at Conference champions Boston United.
Meanwhile, Wayne Corden, Allen Tankard, Chris Greenacre and Scott Sellars are still mulling over contract offers from the club.

Duo to be unveiled
Teamtalk, 8 May 2002
Town are expected to announce their first two signings of the summer, rumoured to be Neil Moore and Dion Scott, this afternoon.
Stuart Watkiss said he will be having discussions with two central defenders early this afternoon and, following medicals, he is hoping to be able to announce them as the first two pieces of his Second Division jigsaw later on.
"It has been a frustrating couple of weeks," he said. "But these are two players I earmarked towards the end of last season who I feel can do a good job for us and it would be good to get them on board.
"I know supporters have been worried that no one has been coming in while quite a few players have left the club and this will show them things are happening."
No names are being released as yet though one of the defenders is thought to be Walsall ace Scott, who impressed on trial in Mansfield's reserve team at the end of the season, while the other is rumoured to be Telford United's former Everton defender Moore.
Watkiss has said he wants to start the season with four good central defenders battling for the two places and already has Stuart Reddington on board.
With Adam Barrett and Les Robinson departing, that means he is still in the market for another central defender this summer.

 

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