Sligo Rovers manager Darren Purse has secured his second signing since taking the top job at the Showgrounds last week, with the arrival of Welsh attacking midfielder Trey George on loan from Cardiff City.
The 20-year-old joins up ahead of Friday’s game against Dundalk on a deal which will see him play with the Bit O’Red until the end of the current season.
He will be eligible to take part in tomorrow’s game at Oriel Park as Rovers go in search of a vital victory which could lift us off the bottom of the table.
Adept at operating anywhere across the midfield, the Welsh underage international is Purse’s second summer signing following the arrival of wide-man Jack Shorrock who arrived at Sligo on Tuesday.
A native of Merthyr Tydfil, 25 miles north of Cardiff, George signed for the Bluebirds at the age of eight and has moved up the age ranks since.
He made his mark on his senior debut for the Championship club in an EFL Trophy game against Arsenal U21s in last November, a game in which he netted the fourth goal in a 4-1 win over the young Gunners.
Purse is very familiar with his latest acquisition, having coached George at Cardiff. Describing him as ‘exceptional’, Purse says he has the advantage of already knowing that Trey has all the right attributes given their shared pasts.
“Having that extra loan spot when Sean McHale left, gave me the perfect opportunity for me to bring someone over that I know”, Purse tells sligorovers.com.
“Trey’s a real top lad and I believe he’s a top player as well. You look at the impact he’s had over the past few years at Cardiff at the levels he’s played at. There’s huge potential there.
“But he needs time to develop and Cardiff have given him that time as they believe he has plenty to offer.
“If you look at his physical profile, he’s not the biggest but he’s got massive heart. Nobody will run farther than him and he’s versatile and adaptable in the way he plays the game.
“He’s an exceptional little footballer. I’ve worked with him for the last four years and he’s someone who will adapt well to the way we want to play.”
George was equally as keen to link up with Purse once more and knows to expect a real challenge as Rovers push to give ourselves the best possible chance of avoiding the drop.
“Darren’s had a massive influence on my career so far”, Trey says.
“He was heavily involved in me getting my first professional contract so we know each other very well and I know how he does things.
“He’s a great coach and is very honest in the way he goes about things, so I jumped at the chance to get to work with him again.
“I’m learning as much as I can about the league before I get stuck in.
“The Premier Division seems very competitive and a good place for young players to get going. I’ve been told it’s tough and not to expect any easy games so I’m looking forward to getting some experience while I’m here and helping the team get out of the bottom few spots of the table.
“We want to turn performances into wins as quickly as we can as we know as a group that there isn’t that much time left.”
David Goulden