WARRINGTON Town have beaten off competition from other clubs to sign centre-back Callum Grogan from Radcliffe FC.

Grogan, 22, hails from Liverpool and was a professional with Shrewsbury Town, before spending the past few seasons with Radcliffe, making more than 120 appearances.

He becomes the Yellows’ first new signing of the summer, following on from the retained list of 10 players announced earlier this month.

Manager Paul Carden said: “We were first made aware of Callum when he was at Shrewsbury and looking for game time, but at the time, we didn’t need anyone in the positions he can play. He’s a name I’ve remembered and he’s done well at Radcliffe for the past few seasons and last season had an offer from a National League side.

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“The pandemic has thrown everyone up in the air and he made us aware that he fancied coming and so we spoke to Radcliffe to see what the situation was and if he was available, so once I had cleared that up with Fowls (Radcliffe manager Lee Fowler), I spoke to Callum and it materialised from there.

“He’s comfortable on the ball, quite athletic, strong in the air and he’s vocal, which is a good thing for a young player. We know he’s versatile but his primary position is centre back and that’s where we see him.

“I’ve made no secret that I want players to use me and the club to push on and get to the level where they should be playing at. Just because they should be or they have the ability to play at a higher level, doesn’t mean they’ve got a God given right to play there, they have to show it.

“He knows I’ll be pushing him, I won’t be dragging him it’s a two-way thing, but he’s a good lad, with a good attitude and I see no reason with a bit of luck why he can’t climb the leagues, whether it’s with us or he goes before we do, he’s got a chance.”

Grogan also had a loan spell at Skelmersdale United before joining Radcliffe, initially on loan from Shrewsbury, and then making the move permanent.

Playing under former Premier League duo Jon Macken and Frank Sinclair at Radcliffe, he was part of the side that won promotion to the Northern Premier League in 2018/19, and skippered the side at times in the absence of regular captains Kingsley Williams and Rick Smith.

Meanwhile, Carden has confirmed that experienced defender David Raven will be returning for pre-season training before deciding whether to play on for another year.

Raven, 35, has made 71 appearances in his two seasons at Cantilever Park, and was named in the Northern Premier League Team of the Year alongside captain Mark Roberts in 2018/19.

Retained for 2020/21:

Josh Amis
Jordan Buckley
Adam Carden
Bohan Dixon
Mitch Duggan
Jack Dunn
Jack Mackreth
Matthew Regan
Mark Roberts
Tom Warren

Awaiting decision:

David Raven
Dylan Vassallo

New signing:

Callum Grogan (Radcliffe FC)

Invited back to pre-season:

Fisayo Adarabioyo
Shaun Beeley

Released:

Tony Gray
Tony McMillan
Ashar Nelson
Luke Wall

End of loan deal and returning to parent club:

Scott Brown
Bobby Jones
Isaac Marriott