Defender Dean!

Dean Pooley a 21 year-old central defender has signed for Ballymena until the end of the season, with an option to extend his time. Englishman Dean, whose former clubs include Millwall and who played for Bohemians last season, gives United manager Tommy Wright a bit more defensive cover, following the departure of Johnny Flynn and to a lesser extent, Aaron Callaghan. Another factor which prompted the United manager to act was the failure of team Captain Albert Watson to sign an extension to his existing contract and it looks increasingly likely that the Whitehead man will leave United in the close season for pastures new (Windsor Park by all accounts). The United manager is hopeful that International clearance will come in time for Dean to get a place on the subs bench in tomorrow night's league encounter at Shamrock Park, against Portadown, kick-off 19-45. As to the United line-up for tomorrow night's game, it's anybody's guess, but must surely mean a return to the 4,5,1 formation which had served us so well, with Gary Haveron earning a recall to midfield, where his battling skills were badly missed in the United engine room last week at Solitude. Mike Ward's injury sustained early on in the Reds game, is not as serious as at first thought, but we believe the United manager will allow the player at least another week of rest and then give him a reserve game before the visit of Linfield in a fortnights time. Out of favour Stephen Lowry may earn a recall to the United bench, or maybe even a starting role, after scoring twice for the reserves last weekend. With an Englishman, a Scotsman and a couple of Irishmen in their ranks, we just need a 'Taffe' now to complete the set. One thing though that is sadly missing from the United ranks, is a born and bred Ballymena native, they, as they say, are as 'scarce as hens teeth'. Still nobody or no team's perfect and we'll just have to run with the guys we have and we need to get a result tomorrow night. Portadown will be a tough nut to crack, as they suffered the same heartbreak as ourselves in their last game, losing in the last minute at Solitude. But nonetheless it's all systems go for the Sky Blues, so come on United, let's shaft those Shamrocks!