Mark Birch Moves Back To Northwich

Mark Birch

30-year old Birch has rejoined Northwich on a 12-month loan spell from SPL newcomers Gretna. Birch originally left the Vics in the summer of 2000 to link up with Carlisle for a fee of £10,000, the all-action right-back making a total of 124 starts in his three seasons at Brunton Park, scoring one solitary goal in the process in a home win over Macclesfield before moving to Gretna for an undisclosed fee in August 2003.

The Stoke-born defender spent the second half of last season on loan to Conference club Southport and he will no doubt be slightly disappointed to be back playing at that level having told the News and Star recently :

"The chance to play in the SPL doesn`t come around very often in a player`s career and it is a massive incentive for me to show I`m hungry enough to want another chance with Gretna. All I can do is train hard and have a good go at trying to win a place."


Vics have also signed two other old boys today. The Cheshire club snapping up striker Paul Tait, who was most recently with relegated Conference rivals Southport after leaving Northwich eight years ago to join Crewe Alexandra. Another returnee is striker Lee Steele who also left the club eight years ago when he moved to Shrewsbury, Steele comes back to the Victoria Stadium on a two-year deal from Chester City.