Ollie is new keeper
22 Jul 2022 09:46
Published by:
Scott Callan
ALTRINCHAM have a new goalkeeper after signing highly rated one-time Manchester United prospect Oliver Byrne from Welsh club Connah’s Quay for an undisclosed fee.
The 24-year-old has arrived at his home town club as part of manager Phil Parkinson’s squad building work over the summer.
And the manager describes the signing as a “real coup”.
He told the club’s official website: “He is a player who has forged a name for himself at Connah’s Quay and is widely regarded as the best keeper in the League of Wales.
“He amassed 41 starts last season, keeping 24 clean sheets as well as winning the Players’ Player of the season award. We have fought off EFL attention to get him to decide to commit his future to Altrincham FC. He’s an Alty lad, and I’m sure he’ll be a huge hit here next season.”
Byrne joined Connah’s Quay from Stevenage in January 2020 and helped Andy Morrison’s side clinch the first of two successive Premier titles, quickly establishing himself as first choice and taking the eye with his shot-stopping and handling and distribution with the ball at his feet.
Success on the home front brought the chance to test himself in Europe, and he played in both legs of a Champions’ League first qualifying round tie with Armenian side Alashkert last July, as a 2-2 home draw was followed by a 1-0 defeat in Yerevan a week later.
The consolation was another Euro outing in the Conference League, where a Connah’s Quay team also containing former Alty right-back John Disney again suffered an aggregate defeat by a single goal, this time against Kosovo’s Prishtina.
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