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Scunthorpe boss Brian Laws has made his third signing of the summer with the capture of one-time United loan-target, Ramon Calliste from Liverpool. 21-year old Welsh under-21 international forward Calliste was let go by the Merseyside giants at the end of last season and joins the Iron on a one-year deal, having never made a first-team appearance at Anfield. Cheltenham striker Steve Guinan has finally signed a new one-year contract at Whaddon Road having earlier stalled on a fresh deal with the Robins, the 30-year old ex-Hereford frontman coming close to leaving the newly promoted Gloucestershire outfit in June. Meanwhile ex-Cheltenham defender Michael Taylor, who was let go by Town in the summer, has joined Conference side Halifax Town on a 12-month deal. The 23-year-old, who started his career at Blackburn Rovers, and had a loan period with Carlisle in 2002, spent two years at Whaddon Road and ended last season with a loan spell at Forest Green Rovers.
Paul Terry has signed a one-year contract extension at Yeovil Town, the 27-year old midfielder having plied his trade at Huish Park since joing the club from Dagenham and Redbridge in the summer of 2003. Chesterfield have taken French winger Francois Duhamel on trial for a week, the 21-year old Auchel-born flyer is currently at National Division side SO Châtellerault and is able to play on either flank. Wrexham are on the verge of bringing former striker Neil Roberts back to the Racecourse Ground from Doncaster Rovers. The 28-year old started his career as a trainee with the Red Dragons before being sold to Wigan for £450,000 in 2000 and is deemed surplus to requirements at Rovers following the signing of frontman Bruce Dyer, with further attacking reinforcements also expected at Belle Vue. Former Doncaster defender Phil McGuire is joining SPL outfit Dunfermline for pre-season training, having been released by Rovers in the summer, McGuire only joing Doncaster himself one year ago from Aberdeen.
Conference outfit Oxford United have snapped up two ex-League One players on free transfers, boss Jim Smith signing Gavin Johnson and Eddie Hutchinson. Experienced 35-year old midfielder Johnson has penned a one-year contract with the U's after leaving Northampton Town, and 24-year old midfielder Hutchinson coming to the Kassam Stadium from Leroy Rosenior's Brentford. Smith has also bolstered his ranks in midfield by bringing in 25-year old Carl Pettefer from Southend, Pettefer missing a large amount of the Shrimpers' League One title winning season last year with injury. Rosenior has brought a new coach into Brentford though, ex-Bees goalkeeper Kevin Dearden, who had a six year spell with the club in the 1990s, joining the West London outfit after previously working with Rosenior at Torquay. Marcus Gayle is another to go through the exit door at Brentford since the end of last season however, the 35-year old Jamaican international linking up with Conference side Aldershot Town after being released by the Bees at the end of May.
One-time Nottingham Forest midfielder Eugene Bopp has joined Ipswich Town on trial for a week, the 22-year-old former German U21 international having made 77 appearances for the Tricky Trees since coming to the City Ground from Bayern Munich in August 2001. Bristol City striker Steve Brooker is still in contract talks with the Robins, the 25-year-old is already under contract for the new season, but is in the process of extending his deal at Ashton Gate. Crewe boss Dario Gradi is reportedly close to offering Morecambe centre-half Darran Kempson a contract at Gresty Road, the 21-year old having made a good impression with the Railwaymen in a pre-season training camp in Portugal. In other Alex' club news Crewe has been chosen as the venue for the 2006 FA Women's Community Shield between FA Women's Premier League and Women's FA Cup winners Arsenal and league runners-up Everton, the match taking place on Wednesday the 2nd of August, kick off at 8.05pm.
Northampton Town centre-half Ashley Westwood is another player to leave Sixfields this summer, the experienced out-of-contract 29-year old joining Mark Wright's Chester City after spending three years with the Cobblers. Oldham defender Gareth Owen has joined Stockport County on a season-long loan, the 23-year old soon falling out of favour with the Latics after only being at Boundary Park for 12 months since signing from Stoke City, ironically after two earlier loan spells with Oldham. The Latics have also completed the transfer of former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Craig Rocastle, the 24-year old having agreed a two-year deal at Boundary Park after having the remainder of his contract with the Owls terminated by mutual consent. Swansea have blamed the late arrival of their new kit for the coming season on the World Cup, the ship carrying the kit was due to leave Hannover in Germany on Friday, when Germany were playing Argentina in the quarter-finals, but co-incidentally it never left the port.