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Town Win Race for Cresswell
Town Win Race for Cresswell
Thursday, 30th Jun 2011 11:31

TWTD understands that Town have won the race to sign Tranmere Rovers left-back Aaron Cresswell. The Blues, who have been chasing the 21-year-old since the end of the season, have beaten West Brom and Doncaster Rovers to land the highly-rated full-back.

Cresswell, who is 5ft 7in tall, is out of contract this summer but due to his age and having been offered a new deal at Prenton Park, the League One side are entitled to compensation.

Last week, their manager Les Parry said that his club had turned down a compensation offer from a Championship side, presumably Town. If the clubs are unable to come to an agreement, the matter will go to a tribunal.

Parry also said that he expected Cresswell, whose Rovers contract is officially up today, to be at the first day of pre-season training yesterday but, according to reports on the Wirral, he and other players in a similar position failed to show.

Cresswell made 71 starts and nine sub appearances for Rovers, scoring six goals, having come through the youth system at Prenton Park.

A set piece specialist and a tough-tackler, Cresswell likes to get forward and also played on the left of midfield when progressing through the ranks at Tranmere.

The youngster looks likely to sign on the dotted line at Portman Road in the next few days, providing left-back competition for Mark Kennedy.

The acquisition of another left-sided full-back could call into question Shane O’Connor’s future with TWTD understanding that the club received a couple of enquiries regarding the Irish youngster earlier in the summer. The 20-year-old, who is contracted for another year, turned down a loan move to Hereford last season.

Town, who have already added Michael Chopra, Nathan Ellington and Ívar Ingimarsson to their squad, start their pre-season programme at Playford Road tomorrow morning.


Photo: Action Images



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TractorMan added 12:48 - Jun 30
Brilliant news if true! Kennedy never ventures beyond halfway, so stunts our attacking intent to some degree.

I really like that Paul Jewell is mainly bringing in players on the way up, or with things to prove following a poor few years.

This combined with safe pairs of hands such as Ingimarsson and we are on the way to a very competitive squad next season.

COYB!
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Lamby95 added 12:48 - Jun 30
How is his height an issue. Surely what matters is how they perform? On corners he'll be on a post anyway so doesn't need to be tall
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Mark added 12:52 - Jun 30
An exciting signing if it happens. Exactly the sort of player we should be signing, young League One players ready to make the step up. What sort of fee can we expect to pay? £200K? I hope ITFC reveal the fee rather than keeping it "undisclosed".

Also, we must, must, must sign someone who can take set pieces and sounds like this lad can. I cannot bear to watch another Leadbitter corner or free-kick!
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HoxtonBlue added 12:54 - Jun 30


yes please
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austractor added 12:58 - Jun 30
Will wait to hear if from Clegg. No offence Phil! :)
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docsavage52 added 13:03 - Jun 30
Starting to look forward to my Season Ticket arriving
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stringtheory added 13:14 - Jun 30
At this rate the fair-weather fans will be dusting down their Greene King sponsored home shirts .... on the other hand, maybe we'll need to win a few games first before that happens.
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Surco72 added 13:15 - Jun 30
Very good signing again well done PJ and Clegg .
Height not an issue and the reason Peters was caught out so much the same as Edwards is down to positional sense not height because neither are full backs
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GTRKing added 13:20 - Jun 30
Don't Cock this one up get him please. 90% chance we will get him lol
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bobble added 13:20 - Jun 30
a leftback ? we didn't get where we are today by playing a leftback ! the dark lord will be turning in his coffin this is fabulous news i am going to streak down portman rd saturday night in drunken celebration,/.;,.;,;,;,;''.
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whoppit added 13:23 - Jun 30
Who?? Nice lad not turning up for pre-season at Tranmere but I suppose I can't hold that against him !!!

Funny that it says we beat off competition from WBA. Get real. If WBA had wanted him he wouldn't have come near us.
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theblueginger added 13:30 - Jun 30
Great signing. Is he Clapham mk2?
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Marshalls_Mullet added 13:32 - Jun 30
Can people complaining that he is relatively unknown and from League 1 please leave the room and not bother to contribute again.

Many thanks.
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Lightningboy added 13:37 - Jun 30
Let's hope this deal is done before Leicester stick their noses in!
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BrettenhamBlue added 13:37 - Jun 30
Good signing,- but for Gawds sake sign up St Ledger before Leicester City do.
Are Leicester buying EVERY available player? I have to admit- if I was signed by them at the moment I would be concerned about my place in the team....
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whippet added 13:41 - Jun 30
A reasonably good championship player. Certainly head and shoulders better than Mark Kennedy
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AndyUK61873 added 13:43 - Jun 30
@PJewellisaGod

Think you will find this is Leicster's 3rd signing of the season the same as us and Derby....
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GTRKing added 13:44 - Jun 30
ffs get in there Whoopit i see u said something gd? He will come i bet
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jclark20 added 13:46 - Jun 30
@tractorog

agreed!
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Marshalls_Mullet added 13:47 - Jun 30
I guess Bayern are mugs for buying from Tranmere too?;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13874544.stm

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TRFCdave added 13:50 - Jun 30
Tranmere fan here. Thanks for breaking the news you've signed Cresswell, was wondering where he'd end up.

Interesting to read the comments on here about him. Cresswell is a great player going forward and fantastic at putting the ball into the box. Unfortunately at Tranmere there was no-one decent enough to make use of his crosses, so I hope the claims of a lack of height aren't true as you'll want some players getting their heads on his crosses. He's fantastic at corners and wide free kicks.

He's also very strong at beating players and running at defenders. When he plays alongside a left winger who does the same they really can cause chaos.

Cresswell's main weakness, which why with respect a Premiership standard crosser and set-piece taker is signing for a Championship club, is he is rather vulnerable defensively. Many people have questioned if he's up to Tranmere's standard defensively and whether we need to get a stronger left-back in. I don't buy into that too much as he's not awful defensive, just caught out of position a lot. That could be due to the truly awful expectations Barnes had of him in his short time at the club, which destroyed his confidence. Given our rather unusual coaching set-up (Parry doesn't coach as he doesn't know how to, so we have a coach who coaches the players and an assistant manager who sets the tactics) it could well be that he just needs someone to provide him stronger guidance.

If Jewell can get him defending with confidence and teach him his position successfully, he could be a great left back. It shouldn't be too difficult for people who know how to develop youngsters as he does seem to need someone new to show him the robes.

He has much potential as a left-sided midfielder, which is a position I've always fancied him more as and where he was playing at the end of the season (as a left forward in a 4-3-3). I'd question whether you have signed him as a left back or left winger as personally I'll put him further up the pitch.

If he's nurtured correctly he could well turn into a strong Premiership player, but is still very much the unpolished diamond at the moment — we've had a few of them who have failed to really make the grade so I hope Cresswell gets the nurturing he deserves.

As far as the fee goes, we got £400k upfront plus some add-ons when Steve Davis went to Derby. Cresswell isn't quite as strong as he was, but not that much weaker. So I'm expecting a fee in the region of £250k based on what we've had for previous players.
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SamWhiteUK added 13:51 - Jun 30
Can't say I've ever heard of this guy, but sounds promising. Nice work PJ and team!
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ingramg added 13:53 - Jun 30
well done pj keep up the good work



coyb
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bobble added 13:54 - Jun 30
sounds like a jewish salad
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Marshalls_Mullet added 13:59 - Jun 30
Thanks TRFCdave, interesting info from one who knows.

Sounds like Bale in his early days, great going forward but suspect defensively. (Not saying he will be that good!)

£250k would be good business for us.

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