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Mechs sign Champions League star
A PLAYER with European Champions League experience has been snapped up by AFC Blackpool.
Matt Gatfield, who shared a glory night in Lithuania with Rhyl, is one of two more college kids to arrive at Common Edge in the club's rebuilding search outside the Fylde.
The 21-year-old midfielder, who is at the University of Central Lancashire, brings to five the number of academics talked into coming by assistant manager and Myerscough College sports lecturer Steve Carling.
Winger Tony Fallon, 19, has increased Myerscough's contingent to four.
Born in St Asaph, Gatfield played for nearby Welsh Premier League high-riders Rhyl and was in the squad which three years ago triumphed in the Champions League first qualifying round against Lithuanian club FK Atlantas.
Current Fleetwood Town strikers Lee Hunt and Andy Moran played and Gatfield was an unused substitute in both games as Rhyl won on away goals to become only the second Welsh side to win a European tie.
Hunt, currently on loan at Fleetwood from Barrow, scored both in the 2-1 home win in the first leg.
Blackpool manager Stuart Parker said: "Matt's background only came out when I was telling him the North-West Counties League was physically more demanding than university football and he said he'd been with Rhyl in European football.
"In training his touch has been excellent and he's two-footed."
Gatfield and Fallon are in the squad for tomorrow's division one match in Stoke against Norton United.
League leaders AFC FYLDE will entertain Runcorn Linnets in the third round of the FA Vase on December 6.
The holders' manager Mick Fuller watched Runcorn beat premier division companions Alsager Town 5-3 on penalties in Wednesday's replay after extra-time ended 2-2. Runcorn have already lost 1-0 at Fylde in the league.
In the squad at home to Formby tomorrow is new striker Chris Downey, previously with Radcliffe Borough, Mossley and Flixton.
SQUIRES GATE boss Andy Clarkson has targetted ten points from the next four fixtures in the build-up to facing top three Fylde, New Mills and Newcastle.
"We've got a difficult period coming up against what I class as the three Unibond sides in our league," said Clarkson, whose seventh-placed side are at home to Silsden tomorrow.
AFC Blackpool squad: Cook, Blinkhorn, Simmons, Roberts, Elliott, Carroll, Rothwell, Kinsey, Fallon, Gatfield, Gibson, Ashall, Swash, Ali, Gardiner, Waddington.
AFC Fylde squad: Summerfield, Lawler, Keefe, Moran, Thompson, Moffatt, Shaw, Savigar, Allen, Palmer, Horsfall, Blackwell, Wane, Downey, Paterson, Walwyn, Sheppard, Lengliz, Booth, Paynter.
Squires Gate squad: Speight, Benfield, Bartlett, Ford, Taylor, Richards, Muscroft, McKenna, Horn, Bennett, Hibbert, Ryan, Phillips, Harvie, Farrar, Catlow, Moretti.
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Weather for Blackpool
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
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