DELIGHTED Town chief Peter Jackson has beaten tomorrow's 5pm transfer deadline, to sign a young Premiership club midfielder.
Gary Harkins, 19, a reserve team player at Blackburn, has joined the Third Division promotion chasers on a month's loan, with the possibility of extending it until the end of the season.
Jackson, who confirmed he had had the player watched on several occasions, said: "He is a promising midfielder and Gary's signing is a tremendous squad boost.
"With Jon Worthington on nine bookings and close to suspension, and Lee Fowler ruled out for the rest of the season plus Chris Holland's move to Boston, Gary's addition to the squad is a great boost at this time of the season."
Harkins, 19, from Greenock, Glasgow, is a former Celtic schoolboy and was signed by Blackburn as a 16-year-old YTS player and made several appearances for the Academy and Reserve teams.
Although not getting close to a first team call-up, Harkins was part of Blackburn's successful Under 19 squad which won a national age-group title after beating Aston Villa over two-legs in the final.
Harkins also played in Blackburn's Reserves' 3-0 victory against Bolton this week, and was unlucky not to score when he hit the bar after five minutes.
The tall and rangy Scottish teenager said: "It's great to sign for Town.
"I knew they had been watching me for a while, and to finally sign up for a month is great.
"This is a good club, Town are really on a roll at the moment and to join them at this time is very exciting.
"It's a great opportunity for me and I'm looking forward to meeting up with the rest of squad at training later today."
Jackson, however, would not reveal whether Harkins would be thrown into immediate action in the Town engine room for Saturday's McAlpine clash against Swansea, who drew 1-1 with Mansfield at Field Mill last night.
Meanwhile, Jackson announced a run-out for two new trialists in this afternoon's Pontin's League McAlpine clash against Stoke (2.00).
They are centre-back Andrew Hodges, 18, from Tottenham and right-sided midfielder Scott Brown, 18, from Everton.
Town Res: Senior, Thompson, Hodges, Hughes, Edwards, Brown, Ahmed, Scott, Mattis, Newby, McAliskey.
