Leek Town have signed five new players ahead of the 2023/24 Northern Premier League West season.
Liam Buckley, Jake Avery, Tom Reilly, Phil Mooney and Tom Freeman have all arrived at the F Ball Community Stadium and, they will be hoping that they can help Leek go one step further and win promotion back to the Northern Premier League Premier Division.
First up to be announced was defender Liam Buckley who joins the club from 1874 Northwich.
The young fullback started his career at Chester where he came through the youth ranks before he opted to head to the Welsh Leagues where he joined Cefn Druids.
However, his time in Wales was short as after 12 months he was returning to the English leagues as he joined Northern Premier League side 1874 Northwich ahead of the 2022/23 season. He rapidly became a key member of the 74’s team as he made 40 appearances in all competitions last season.
Next to be signed up by the Blues was former Hanley Town winger Jake Avery from Belper Town.
Originally at Uttoxeter Town, he joined Hanley in October 2021 where he helped the Bucknall based club to win the Midlands Football League. He would also chip in with a few goals as he netted eight times during his stay, including a consolation goal during Hanley’s 4-1 defeat last October.
Avery chose to join Belper at the beginning of 2023 where despite him scoring twice for the Nailers, against Ashton United and Radcliffe FC, he couldn’t keep them in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.
Signings Three and Four will know each other well as Tom Reilly and Phil Mooney both join Leek Town from Cymru North side Cefn Druids.
Reilly is a tenacious hard-working midfielder who has an eye for goal. He started his career at Accrington Stanley before featuring for Eskilstuna City, a team based out in Sweden, before moving back to the UK as he turned out for Bangor City and Prestatyn Town.
While vastly experienced central defender Mooney is well known in the Northern Premier League circles, particularly in the north, as he has turned out for the likes of Warrington Town, Widnes and Skelmersdale United in the past.
The final signing to be announced by Neil Bakers’ men was that of former FA Vase winner Tom Freeman as he joins from recently demoted Skelmersdale United.
Freeman was a second-half substitute for 2021 FA Vase winners Warrington Rylands as he replaced Jack Tinning. He also scored Warrington’s first goal in that run to Wembley as he netted in the 5-2 win over Daisy Hill back in September 2020.
Last season saw him play 19 times for Skelmersdale United as they finished 11th on their return to the Northern Premier League but, were ultimately relegated back to the North West Counties Football League as the ground they were sharing with Burscough FC failed to meet the required standards for the Northern Premier League.
We will be hoping to speak to all five of the new players in the next couple of weeks as they settle into life at the F Ball Community Stadium.
