Macc Man Moves To Vale Park

Danny Whitaker

Port Vale have snapped up 27-year old Yeovil defender Colin Miles and Macclesfield midfielder Danny Whitaker, 25, on free transfers, both players joining the Valiants on two-year deals. Both men had been with their clubs for over five years but were looking for a fresh challenge in their careers, Whitaker moving in the opposite direction to goalkeeper Jonny Brain, who left Vale Park to rejoin ex-Vale boss Brian Horton at Macclesfield earlier this month. Meanwhile the Silkmen have signed Chesterfield forward Colin Heath, the 22-year old frontman having only joined the Spireites himself in January 2006 from Manchester United.

Bournemouth have made their fourth pre-season signing of the summer, midfielder Danny Hollands joining on a two-year contract from Premiership champions Chelsea. Hollands, 20, has only played reserve team games at Stamford Bridge and spent a successful ten game loan spell at Torquay United last season. Millwall have completed the transfers of defender Richard Shaw from Coventry and goalkeeper Chris Day from Oldham. 37-year old Shaw joins after spending over ten years with the Sky Blues while Day, 28, started out as a trainee at Spurs and becomes Lions boss Nigel Spackman's ninth signing of a hectic summer at the New Den.

Tranmere Rovers are poised to snap up Welsh international striker Gareth Taylor and Australian defender Shane Sherriff, who was known as Shane Cansdell-Sherriff in his previous spell in England with Leeds United. 33-year old Taylor has penned a two-year contract at Prenton Park after being released by Nottingham Forest at the end of May, while Sherriff, 23, will need to obtain a visa before his move from Aarhus in Denmark can be confirmed. Rovers have also signed midfielder Paul McLaren from manager Ronnie Moore's old club Rotherham, the 29-year old moving to the Wirral on a two-year contract. Meanwhile player-coach Jason McAteer will continue that role at Rovers after inking a fresh one-year deal, the 37-year old having actually spent one game in charge at Prenton Park following the departure of former boss Brian Little last season.



Leyton Orient manager Martin Ling, and his assistant Dean Smith, have both signed new two-year contracts at the Matchroom Stadium club, 39 year-old Ling is also to be given a testimonial for ten years' service as a player and manager at the East London club. Cheltenham boss John Ward, who was heavily linked with the vacant managerial post at Carlisle United, has signed a mammoth five-year deal to stay at Whaddon Road until November 2011. Seeing out that contract would take him up to eight years service with the Gloucestershire outfit who were promoted to League One last season through the end-of-term play-offs. Goalkeeping coach Jim Barron has left his job with Wycombe Wanderers to take over a similar post with Northampton Town, the move linking Barron back up with his old Chairboys boss John Gorman. Meanwhile managerless Hull City have appointed Nottingham Forest coach Frank Barlow as caretaker boss, the Tigers being without a man at the helm until they sort out a compensation package for current Colchester United boss Phil Parkinson.

Notts County boss Steve Thompson has made his tenth signing of the summer by snapping up 29-year old free agent striker Junior Mendes, who was released by Huddersfield Town at the end of last season. Brighton captain Charlie Oatway is set to miss the start of the new season with a long-standing ankle injury, Oatway picked up the problem on Boxing Day 2005 and is unlikey to be fit to play for the Seagulls until at least October. Meanwhile Albion boss Mark McGhee has made enquiries for two strikers, one of whom is believed to be Preston's Danny Dichio. McGhee has already signed Alex Revell from Braintree but is looking for more options upfront as the Withdean Stadium outfit hope to bounce back into the Championship at the first attempt.

Lee McEvilly's expected move from Wrexham to Bradford City has fallen through because of medical concerns. The out-of-contract Northern Irish international had a medical in West Yorkshire on Monday and the Bantams have called the move off following fears that a pinned broken bone in McEvilly's foot has failed to heal properly. The 24-year old broke the same bone in his foot in April for the second time in four months, but the Red Dragons have no such concerns about McEvilly's fitness, as, following the collapse of the move to Bradford, they have re-signed the burly striker on a two-year contract. New League Two club Hereford United have snapped up the former Gillingham pair of Richard Rose and John Wallis. 23-year old defender Rose, and midfield man Wallis, 20, have agreed deals with the Edgar Street club after being released by the Gills at the end of last season.