Quartet return to make mark
RUNCORN Town players are back to stake a claim for a place before the new season starts, with several names committing themselves to the club.
Midfielder Kieran Holsgrove is returning for a second season. The 20-year-old made 25 appearances last season on dual-registration from Marine, scoring seven goals.
An academy player at Liverpool from the age of 5 to 16, he signed for West Bromwich Albion from 16 to 18. After leaving West Brom he signed for Watford and spent a season with the Under 23 squad. He then signed for Marine in 2019, before joining Town on dual registration.
Holsgrove has settled in well. “It’s a lot more physical and you get a lot less time on the ball,’’ he said of the standard. ‘‘The Under 23 league is a lot more technical and tactical based, whereas nonleague is a lot more ‘win-at-allcosts’ mentality. A lot different to the development-based mentality of Under 23 football.”
The premature end to last season came at a time when the team and Kieran himself were finding some good form. He also helped solve the problem of finding a regular penalty taker, successfully converting five of them.
“The main high point for me was scoring two penalties away to Irlam in a 2-1 win back in January, the second penalty was in the 90th minute as well, it was a great feeling!”
Holsgrove is confident of picking up where he left off last season, with some eye-catching performances.
Aidan Roxburgh is also returning having initially signed for Town in 2017 and, after making 20 appearances spent the following season in the Welsh leagues