Rams in for ex-Red Stott
RA MS BOTTOM United continue to add to their squad ahead of the new season after Dean Stott became the latest player to sign for the club.
The 26-year-old previously captained FC United of Manchester to the EvoStik Premier Division title and will now make the switch to the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium.
Stott can be used as a right-back or a central midfielder, and has also played for the likes of Burnley, Preston and Hyde during his career. He will bring plenty of experience to the Ramsbottom team, and he revealed it didn’t take him long to be convinced that he was joining the right club.
“We had a great chat during the week, it’s very clear to me how the managers want to play and it was refreshing to hear the club’s ambition and drive,” he said. “Ramsbottom are a club who I feel are going places and I want to be part of the new era there.”
Stott joins a long list of players that managerial duo Paul Fildes and Mark Fell have managed to acquire, and Fildes is confident that the new recruit can hit the ground running.
“There’s not many players out there at 26 years old who have won as many titles as Dean,” he said. “The fact we’ve got a lad in his prime, with experience of winning an Evo-Stik title makes him a fantastic acquisition.
“Dean’s turned down better offers financially to join us and it’s confirmation to us we are heading in the right direction in terms of how professionally we run things.”
Stott will join up with ●● his new teammates this week and is expected to feature in the friendly at Nelson on July 16.
Ramsbottom have also announced that they will be working with Accrington and Rossendale College in order to create a new U21 squad for the 2016/17 season. The new squad will benefit from UEFA A&B licence coaches to develop them within a professional training environment using top class facilities.
The partnership with the college will also give players the opportunity to potentially undertake full and part time qualifications and receive extra training, allowing them to progress to scholarships in the USA as well as being in the shop window for pro and semi-pro clubs, including progression into the Ramsbottom United first team.
Each player will have a personal development programme that may include semi-pro loan opportunities through loan moves with senior clubs in the NWCFL, nutrition and fitness support as well as medical care.
The new look side will play in the Lancashire FA U21s league, with games being played midweek under floodlights, they will also participate in regular showcase friendlies against Football League and National League reserve teams.