Smart Alex puts pen to paper with Town

Championship side Sheffield Wednesday and National League outfit Tranmere Rovers were among clubs known to have sent scouts to watch the highly-rated 21-year-old feature for the NPL Premier Division league leaders this term.

But, after a successful trial at Fleetwood last month, Uwe Rosler’s men have won the race to snap-up the striker on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

Reid, who began his career on Aston Villa’s books before a youth spell with Walsall, joined Rushall from Solihull Moors in 2015 and netted 26 times in his debut season.

That goal haul put him on the radar of many Football League clubs, and after following it up with 14 goals in 26 games for Rushall this term, he has become Rosler’s second January signing.

And the forward is keen to keep that scoring streak up at Highbury.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted to sign for Fleetwood Town and I cannot wait to get started.

“This is an excellent chance for me to make the step-up into league football, and the facilities and people at Fleetwood Town made my decision easy.

“I’m a quick, exciting player, who always looks to score goals. I like making runs in behind but I am just looking to excite the fans and the best way I feel I can do that is by scoring goals.”

It is hoped Reid can follow in the footsteps of Town’s current striker Ash Hunter or Town’s famous non-league export, Premier League title-winning Leicester City and England forward Jamie Vardy.

Hunter played in the same division as Reid for Ilkeston FC before swapping non-league football for the third tier in 2015.

The 21-year-old has netted nine times already this term to help fire Rosler’s men up to sixth in the League One table with Vardy firing Fleetwood up to the Football League before his £1m switch to Leicester in the summer of 2012.

Reid will initially link-up with the development squad and Paul Murray, Town’s development squad coach believes the youngster has a good chance of progressing to the first team.

Murray said: “Alex is a player who did very well for us during his week training at Poolfoot Farm.

“We saw enough to think he has a real chance to develop and progress into our first team.

“He’s strong, athletic and has an eye for goal. We look forward to working with him.”