Dale boss John Coleman is set to make a final decision over the future of the four trialists at the club following Wednesday's friendly game with Blackburn Rovers.
Following a multitude of trialists that took part in the friendly game at Ratcliffe, they were whittled down to just four before Dale headed out to Austria last week. Things haven't been helped by a second successive postponed friendly, but their futures will become clearer following the Blackburn game on Wednesday.
The four still on trial are:
| Ian Craney Craney certainly needs no opportunity to showcase his talents to Dale boss John Coleman having starred for him whilst with Accy in three different spells. However, the biggest issue facing the 30 year old former Altrincham midfielder is his fitness. He suffered a broken leg and ankle whilst training with Stanley last season, and form suffered as a result following his return from that injury. Some will see Craney as a possible replacement for Gary Jones given his decent goalscoring record over the years. | |
| Ray Putterill For everything said about Craney, you could say the same again about Ray Putterill. The former Accy midfielder is a player with bags of ability but injuries have been his biggest problem over the years. The 23 year old former Liverpool midfielder has had all sorts in recent years, including a fractured spine and a reconstructed hip. He also seems something of a fiery character, with the odd falling out with officials in the past. Putterill impressed with a goal in the recent friendly with Radcliffe Borough. | |
| Matty Pearson Pearson is traditionally a central defender who like recent loan signing Ryan Edwards has come through the successful youth set up at Ewood Park. His profile at Blackburn conjures up memories of another local central defender we've had recently calling him strong at the back with a habit of getting more than his fair share of goals. Pearson played at left back in the recent friendly with Radcliffe Borough. Given the signings of Edwards and Rhys Bennett, Pearson will have plenty of competition if he is to convince Coleman he is worthy of a contract. | |
| Danny Johnson With Johnson, we don't so much have to describe what sort of player that he is, as show you as YouTube contains a ten minute video detailing his talents (click here) placed there by his agents as he looked for a new club. It was enough to convince Spanish side Real Murcia that he was worth a punt, but there's not much info available as to how he did with Los Pimentoneros. He's 19 years old, and is predominantly a forward. |