Last updated at 20:14, Tuesday, 29 June 2010

FORREST TRUMP: Danny Forrest is signing for Barrow

BARROW AFC’s first new recruit of the summer will be versatile attacker Danny Forrest.

The 25-year-old has turned down a new deal at Blue Square Premier rivals Crawley Town and was last night set to ink forms on a one-year deal with the Bluebirds.

Forrest can play as either a winger or a striker. The Keighley-born former England under-19 ace played 50 times for Bradford City between 2001-05. He then made more than 100 appearances for Halifax Town before joining Crawley in 2008.

Forrest is expected to make his debut this Saturday when Barrow kick off their pre-season with the annual curtain-raiser against Furness Select at Holker Street.

Bluebirds joint-manager Dave Bayliss said: “He will be a good signing for us. He’s very, very quick and direct. He’s just under six foot and has good power. He gives us really good options for next season attacking wise.

“Danny played on the wing a lot when with Bradford in the Championship, both on the wing and as a striker for Halifax and was most recently at Crawley. He had two seasons there, playing over 70 games, so has good experience at this level and higher.

“We tried to sign him in January. A lot of people might not like Steve Evans (Crawley manager), but he knows how to pick a good player.

“Crawley offered Danny a new contract but he turned it down.

“He feels things have gone a bit stale down there for him and he wants a new challenge.”

Bayliss added: “He played up front (for Crawley) when we beat them 4-1 here at the end of last season. He can also play wide in a three-man strikeforce or out on the wing. The fans will love him. He’s all-action and whole-hearted.”

AFC will not run a reserves team next season, with a club statement confirming: “We are now looking at expanding the youth set-up launched by Neil Doherty last season, with plans to increase the number of age groups involved.

“The club believe this strategy will help the young players of the area to develop, and in time we envisage this set-up will become the backbone of a reserve side.”

First published at 13:03, Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk