Rebels sign Marsh

by Stuart Brennan

March 19, 2009

FC UNITED have given their promotion hopes a major fillip by signing former Manchester United starlet Phil Marsh.

The Rebels tried to sign the 22-year-old from Leigh Genesis last month, but the St Helens-born player - who has one United first-team appearance to his name - elected to stay with the Unibond League strugglers.

He rubbed salt in that wound by scoring a hat-trick in Leigh’s 4-2 win at FC two days later.

Marsh, however, made it plain he still wanted to join the Rebels, but agreed to stay with Leigh until after their midweek game at home to Nantwich - which they lost 8-0.

FC boss Karl Marginson was delighted and will put Marsh straight into the squad for Saturday’s trip to Hednesford.

“I don’t really know why Phil decided not to join us last month - but he has now decided the time is right and that’s great news for us," said Marginson.

"I don’t think Leigh’s midweek result had a bearing, because he has been saying for some time he wanted to play for us.

"He needs to be playing for a team that is challenging for something - the way he was brought up at United, he is used to winning.

"He is a quick, intelligent lad with really good movement, and holds the ball up well.”

With the Unibond premier division’s top scorer Kyle Wilson due to hear the results of a knee scan on Monday, FC could soon team up two of the best strikers in that league.

”The two are not dissimilar,” says Marginson. “But they could easily play together. Kyle has been asking if we were signing him, and I could sense the excitement in his voice about the prospect of playing alongside Phil.”