Town are understood had an offer accepted by Watford for keeper Scott Loach. The 24-year-old former England U21 international, who we reported was the subject of a Town enquiry in late June, was previously with the Blues’ academy between 1997 and 2000 before his family returned to hometown Nottingham.
Loach has been linked with Town on a number of occasions during the close season, the keeper having said it would be "a dream to play” for his boyhood club one day last summer.
The 6ft 4in tall keeper established himself as Watford’s number one during 2008/09 but after a drop in form fell out of favour at Vicarage Road last season with Manchester United’s Tomasz Kuszczak — Town’s number one keeper target until he joined Brighton - coming in on loan.
In addition to his spells as a youngster with the Blues — where he will have worked with current keeper-coach Malcolm Webster and returning academy director Bryan Klug - and Nottingham Forest, Loach was also with Southwell United and Lincoln City's youth set-ups, spending time on loan with the likes of Bourne Town, Radcliffe Olympic, Boston Town, Spalding United, Stamford, Lincoln United, Gedling Miners Welfare and Grantham Town while with the Imps.
In April 2006, Loach moved on to Watford, Lincoln receiving £50,000 in compensation. Prior to breaking into the first team at Vicarage Road he went on further loan spells at Stafford Rangers, Morecambe and Bradford City.
Presumably making reference to his proposed move to the Blues, Loach tweeted earlier this evening: "So buzzing right now. Hopefully more will become clear soon."
Loach can be seen in action for Town’s academy in this short film.
Photo: Action Images