Play video

Comment | Read Comments (1)

YORK City have signed former Burton Albion winger Chris Hall on loan from Blue Square North outfit Gainsborough Trinity.

Hall, 26, will join Colin Walker's squad for tomorrow's home match with Ebbsfleet United, as revealed on this website yesterday, and could be in line for a full debut with the Minstermen expected to make changes following Tuesday night's disappointing 1-1 draw with Northwich.

City fans might best remember Hall for a solo goal in which he beat three home players during a 1-0 victory for Burton at KitKat Crescent in 2005.

He left the Pirelli Stadium, though, last summer after being sidelined for eight months with a cruciate knee ligament injury, opting for the guarantee of first-team football at Gainsborough rather than returning to Burton for pre-season training and proving his fitness before being offered a contract.

About his latest signing, who scored nine goals in 94 games during three seasons with the Brewers, Walker said: "He's somebody who we've got in to have a look at over the next six weeks and see how it goes with next season in mind.

"I think Billy McEwan also tried to sign him a couple of times earlier in the season.

"I've watched him three times and he's played on the right wing, the left wing and 20 minutes as a centre forward.

"He's a positive player who is strong and knows this level well. He's had a bit of an injury that kept him out of the game but he went down a level to get a full season of football. He's had that now and he will bring great competition for places."

Craig Farrell will remain unavailable for tomorrow's game, with the club waiting to receive reports following a scan on his foot injury.

Defender Darren Kelly (calf) is also ruled out but on-loan Rotherham winger Sam Duncum could return to the squad after his recent leg muscle problems.

Walker added: "There could be personnel and shape changes to the team tomorrow. We've had another heart-to-heart since the Northwich game and we've got to bounce back tomorrow as an apology for the way we performed."

The City boss had also wanted to add another player to his squad yesterday, but will not be able to make any further loan signings this season with the deadline having now passed.

Ebbsfleet (probable): Cronin, Ricketts, Hearn, Charles, Hawkins, Bostwick, Barrett, Long, McPhee, Akinde, Moore. Subs: Purcell, Nade, Mott, Bull, Maskell.

City (probable): Evans, Purkiss, McGurk, Parslow, Robinson, Hall, Wroe, Rusk, Woolford, Brodie, Sodje. Subs: Mimms, Craddock, Elliott, Panther, Fortune-West.

Referee: Michael Naylor (South Yorks). Kick-off: 3pm.

9:20am Friday 28th March 2008

Print

Email this

Comment