AFC Telford swoop late for ex-United starlet
AFC Telford United have added a former Manchester United starlet to their squad ahead of tomorrow's "physical" National League North kick-off.
The Bucks have brought in midfielder Greg Wilkinson, who drops down a level after his release from National League side Altrincham.
Wilkinson started his career as a youngster at Curzon Ashton, before being given a dream opportunity to join the academy at United.
He played alongside the likes of future England internationals Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck in his four years with the Red Devils.
He then dropped back into non-league and received a proper first-team grounding with Stalybridge Celtic, where he spent six seasons.
A move to Alty and a loan spell at Stockport County, where he joined Telford summer signings Mark Lees and Danny Glover, followed before he became a free agent.
The 25-year-old is available for the trip to Lowestoft Town, before next Tuesday's home opener against his boyhood club Curzon and the visit of another former employer, Stockport, next Saturday.
And Bucks manager Steve Kittrick has prepared his players for a battle in Suffolk, with the club back in the second-tier after relegation last term.
He said: "We trained on Wednesday night and did a bit of shape as we try to push on, but I think the week we've got coming up will tell us a lot.
"We've got Lowestoft first up, which will be a physical game where the pitch won't be the best and the ball will be bouncing and bobbling around.
"Then we've got Curzon Ashton, who pass it and play and then it's going to be some test. Stockport come here and, like us, hopefully they will be up there at the end of the season. I expect a big crowd."
Kittrick hinted that he will go with a central defensive pairing of Mark Lees and Jack Deaman, with Ben Harrison just nudged out of the team.
Lees signed from Stockport last week, while Deaman has completed a six-month loan move from relegated Football League side Cheltenham.
The Telford chief tried out the partnership towards the end of Monday's pre-season finale, a clean sheet in a 1-0 win at Market Drayton Town.
Kittrick said: "I wanted to see how they work together. Ben Harrison is a young lad who hasn't played at this level before, where Mark has and every picture can tell a story sometimes.
"We've got to be strong in this first week then we'll see how we look."
