The Rams have added two players to their squad ahead of Saturday’s match against Bootle with one player heading out of the doors at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium.
The first of the signings is young 18-year-old defender Ryan Graham, who joins the club on loan from Lancaster City.
The sought-after defender spent part of the season with Wythenshawe Town in the North West Counties Premier Division on a dual registration but has decided to make the switch to the Rams.
Prior to joining the Northern Premier League side in the summer, he spent 10 years in the academy of Accrington Stanley. He is predominantly a left sided centre half who can also play comfortably at left back.
Ryan has gained some valuable playing time in a very short period and manager Lee Donafee said that he was delighted to bring him in. “He wants to come and focus his mind on playing some football and he fits right into my philosophy of what I want to achieve at Ramsbottom.
“Former manager Mark Fell said that he was likely to become available and offered him to us and he’s just the sort of player that we need so I have high hopes for him.”
Ryan was delighted to join the club. “I’m looking forward to coming in on loan to Ramsbottom and helping the club progress in the time I’m here, the gaffer and the lads have a good mentality from what I’ve seen in training and are looking to go into the right direction so I hope I can help them the best I can starting on Saturday.”
Joining Ryan in the squad for the game is 30-year-old utility player Colin May, who has made the move from local football having had a spell playing for Dunbar Rovers in the Sydney Eastern Suburbs First Grade league.
He played twice for the Sydneysiders in their most recent season before returning home to Manchester, having previously played for Leinster Senior League sides Maynooth University Town and Leixlip United in Co. Kildare in the Republic of Ireland.
“He was playing in Australia for a team that a friend of mine manages and he let me know he was coming back to England so I got him down to training and my first impressions were very good.
“He can play anywhere across the front three but also can play in midfield.”
Unfortunately, the player leaving the HWRS is towering striker Hugo Rodrigues, who has signed for Glossop North End with immediate effect.
He made 10 appearances for the club – six starts and four off the substitutes bench – scoring twice, including one on his debut in November against Widnes and the other five minutes after coming off the sidelines two weeks later against Newcastle Town.
Manager Lee Donafee went on record to thank Hugo for his efforts but admitted that “sometimes football moves just don’t work out the way you hoped they would, and this was one of them.”
He follows Jake Thompson out of the club – Jake leaving last week to step up a division to join Bamber Bridge. Jake played 25 games for the Rams, scoring three goals and was a hugely popular member of the squad, both on and off the field.
