Ballarat Red Devils sign former English Championship player
BY TIM O’CONNOR
16 Dec, 2010 01:10 AM
BALLARAT Red Devils have secured one of the biggest signings in the club’s history with former Nottingham Forest centre-forward Adam Newbold agreeing to terms for the 2011 season.
Newbold, who made four appearances in the English Championship – one division below the Premier League – for Forest and scored a goal on debut in August 2008, is being touted as a massive coup for the Haymes Red Devils.
Big, strong and excellent on the ball, the 185cm-Newbold is expected to play a major role in moving Ballarat up the Football Federation Victoria state league two table.
During his time at Forest, Newbold was loaned to Stalybridge Celtic in the Conference North – the sixth tier in English football – where be bagged five goals in six matches.
Newbold is currently playing with Reds centre-half and former coach Michael Leslie at Ruddington Village in the Nottingham League.
The 21-year-old will arrive in Ballarat to start pre-season in mid January with the rest of the squad.
“I’ve heard a lot of great things about the club from Michael (Leslie) and really just can’t wait to be in Ballarat and get started,” Newbold said.
“Michael’s told me about how good the supporters are, how they come out in big numbers for the matches and how the town gets right behind the football club, which is great.”
Newbold was linked with Forest for two seasons and managed to push ahead of more experienced players to start several matches.
“It was fantastic playing for Forest in some big stadiums in front of some 30,000 supporters. It was a great experience and one that I will remember forever,” Newbold said.
“Forest are a big club not only in England, but in Europe so I am very proud to have played with them. But I am very excited about coming to the Red Devils and being part of a successful team next season.
“I believe that the club has made some other exciting signings from England as well, and with the young lads in the team that Michael has spoken to me about, it looks like a big year and something that really excited me about signing on.”
Head of the Red Devils Football Department Duncan Smith said Newbold fills a big piece of the puzzle for next season.
“These sorts of players don’t come round very often. With no disrespect to the A-League, there would be over 50 per cent of the players in Australia’s top competition that have not played at as high a level as Adam,” Smith said.
“That is how good this lad is. If you can play in one of the hardest leagues in the world with only a dozen or so tougher leagues, you have to be very good. He will score goals, hold the ball up, bring people into the game, and be a big target from corners, crosses and set pieces.
“We have some very exciting young players at the club and what they will learn off Adam with be great for their development moving forward.”
Smith said there would be at least another three or four players coming into the Haymes Red Devils from overseas in 2011 and this would add to the depth of the playing list and competition for places in the squad.”
http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/general/ballarat-red-devils-sign-former-english-championship-player/2027095.aspx?storypage=0