Paul Brown!

Ballymena United have signed former Limavady United striker Paul Brown, on a two and a half year contract. Sky Blue Sport have found out that a transfer fee was involved, but it’s not clear if this was financed by the club’s own fund, ‘Sky Blue Direct’ or if the money came from another source. Things have got to a serious situation to make the club break its golden rule, ‘no transfer fees’, which has been in place for a number of years now. But anybody who follows United knows they have been crying out for a striker/target-man for the last couple of seasons and finally, hopefully, they’ve acquired one. United manager Tommy Wright admitted that he had inquired about Glentoran and ex-Institute striker, Stephen Parkhouse, but was unable to agree terms with Glentoran. So having missed out on Parkhouse, who has now moved to Limavady, the manager says he’s delighted to have signed his former player, Paul Brown. Alas this will probably mean the end of the road for back-up central defender Gordon Simms and reserve striker Paul McDowell, as the wage bill needs to be trimmed. Striker Rory Hamill who, let’s face it, has ‘flattered’ to deceive since his signing, may also be adjudged surplus to requirements, especially as he is rumoured to be suffering from a ‘mystery’ injury. United can ill afford to have a man receiving the wages Hamill is purported to be getting, £300 plus a week, kicking his heels in the stand. It’s not that long ago that another United man, Jamie Marks, was carrying a ‘mystery’ injury, he was transferred to mid-Ulster club Portadown, and suddenly his injury cleared up, could that’ll be the cure for Rory too? Sky Blue Sport, the number ‘one’ United web site, will endeavour to keep United fans up to date with any future developments, remember the old ‘adage’, East or West, ‘Sport is the Best!