Former England U20s keeper heads to Dens

Dundee: McCann rebuild continues as Parish becomes his eighth signing

Dundee last night announced the signing of former England Under-20 keeper Elliot Parish.

The goalie had been on trial at Dens recently and did enough to convince manager Neil McCann to award him a one-year contract.

The 27-year-old stopper came up through the youth ranks at Aston Villa and was capped three times at Under-20 level for England in the 2009 World Cup.

He has also played for Cardiff City, Bristol City, Blackpool, Colchester United and spent last season with Accrington Stanley. Parish will now provide back-up and competition for No 1 keeper Scott Bain at Dens.

The latest arrival is McCann’s eighth summer signing with the manager admitting that one of them, Glen Kamara, may have arrived at the club “under the radar”.

However, the manager himself was fully aware that the Finnish Under-21 international was a class act.

Kamara produced an impressive display for the Dark Blues against Raith Rovers in the Betfred Cup on Tuesday night at Stark’s Park.

And McCann believes there is even more to come from the former Arsenal youth academy player as well as the other new additions to the club.

The Dens Park boss said: “Glen is a class act. That’s why we brought him here. He has obviously gone under the radar, with people wondering who he was. But I looked at his qualities and he is exactly the type we are looking for in that position.

“We have at least three guys who can play that type of position but he showed against Raith why we have got him at Dundee. He is a really intelligent player.

“But I think there have been glimpses from most of the guys we have brought into the club.

“They can offer a lot more but I won’t be too hard on them because it was the first game of the season.”

Meanwhile, Dundee managing director John Nelms is one of four candidates from Premiership clubs in the running for a place on the SPFL board.

There are, however, only three positions available with Nelms up against Ann Budge from Hearts, Hamilton’s Les Gray and Rangers’ Stewart Robertson.

Picture: David Young. Former England U20s goalkeeper Elliot Parish at Dens Park yesterday.

Managing director John Nelms.