Saints Sign Sharp to Spearhead Title Challenge
The New Saints FC have secured one of the biggest transfers of January's window with the signing of striker Chris Sharp, 23, from Bangor City. He arrives at Park Hall on an 18-month contract for an undisclosed fee.
We are delighted that Chris has agreed to join us at The New Saints, his goal scoring record in the Welsh Premier is superb and he will give us another dimension up front
The forward - who has been linked with a football league move since his arrival at Farrar Road - has scored 13 league goals this term, as well as 2 Loosemores Cup strikes and currently trails just Llanelli's Rhys Griffiths in the League's Hot-Shots chart.
The Saints have the meanest defence in the League with just 8 goals being scored against them in nineteen League games to date, but they have again struggled for a consistent goalscorer. Midfielder Craig Jones (7) is the club's hot-shot to date, followed by Jamie Wood (6) and midfield trio Aeron Edwards, Alex Darlington and Scott Ruscoe (4). On-loan striker Steve Abbott who joined from Wrexham in August has scored fewer, so Saints' boss Andy Cale will be delighted to have captured a proven scorer at this level. In his first season at Bangor last year, Sharp scored 20 goals from just 23 league games.
"We are delighted that Chris has agreed to join us at The New Saints, his goal scoring record in the Welsh Premier is superb and he will give us another dimension up front" said assistant manager Mike Davies.
"Bangor City are sorry that Chris has decided to leave the club; however, we agreed in the summer when he re-signed that we would not stand in the way of his progression," says a City spokesperson
The Liverpool-born son of Everton legend Graeme, joined Bangor from rivals Rhyl in August 2008, after he was released from his Lilywhites' contract by mutual agreement. He made his debut in the 2-0 home defeat on the first game of the 2008/09 season against Llanelli, but became an instant Citizens' hero, when he struck a hat-trick in his second League game for the club away at Porthmadog.
Sharp has suffered two setbacks in his Welsh Premier career to date, but has shown his strength of character to overcome these. Firstly, he was sidelined for the entire 2006/07 season following an horrific leg break against FK Suduva in Lithuania during the UEFA Cup game for Rhyl. Then, last February, he broke his arm at Carmarthen and missed the rest of the season including the Welsh Cup Final. Despite these two set-backs, Sharp has played 55 (+24) times in the League for Rhyl and Bangor scoring 37 Welsh Premier League goals.
He will not be able to say farewell to Bangor fans tomorrow at Farrar Road in the Welsh Cup as his transfer has been completed, and although he is now a Saints player, he will not don the green and white hoops this weekend either. The striker played at Flint in the last round for the Citizens and is cup-tied, so he will have to watch the Welsh Cup match at Llandudno Junction from the sidelines.
