City of Liverpool FC is pleased to confirm five new recruits ahead of the Northern Premier League opener at Witton Albion on Saturday.
All players have represented the club during pre-season and join Mikey Howard, Arthur Lomax Jones, Jamie Rainford and Adam Morgan and Paul McNally’s new recruits for 2024-25.
Former Trafford captain Astley Mulholland joins having represented West Disbury and Chorlton for much of last season.
The midfielder also had a spell as caretaker manager at Trafford when they faced the Purps in a 2-2 draw last October and will bring plenty of experience and guile to the engine room, having represented clubs higher up the pyramid including Altrincham, Ashton United and Hyde United.
Forward Andy Owens has had a stellar Non League career which has also seen spells in the Football League.
A product of both Liverpool and Stoke City’s youth systems, Owens has previously represented clubs including Accrington Stanley, Altrincham, Southport, Mansfield Town and Telford United.
Our new man has experience of playing in Europe for Connah’s Quay Nomads and most recently represented Macclesfield in the NPL Premier Division.
Young forward Elliot Taylor joins on the back of a brilliant season for Litherland Remyca where he notched 25 goals in 43 appearances for the NWCFL Premier Division side.
Elliot scored in our opening pre-season friendly at Winstanley, hammered the bar from 35 yards against Charnock and scored a stunning strike from the same distance as the Purps overcame South Liverpool.
Experienced centreback Darren Thornton also joins the ranks, having left West Didsbury and Charlton at the end of last season.
Thornton counts Hyde United, Nantwich Town, Curzon Ashton and Bradford Park Avenue amongst his former sides, bringing more National League experience to the Purps.
Finally, young defender Kian Sharples is a product of the Radcliffe FC Development side, where he recently won the Player’s Player of the Year award.
We are sure all Purps will join us in welcoming Astley, Andy, Elliot, Darren and Kian to the Purps.