JOE SKARZ today signed a three-year contract with Town.
The news comes just 24 hours after Matt Glennon completed two-year terms and with assistant manager Ronnie Jepson promising some quality summer signings.
While striker Luke Beckett looks poised to join League II Bradford City and coach Martyn Booty has left the Galpharm, manager Stan Ternent is working hard to lure his transfer targets and is delighted to have secured Skarz and Glennon so soon after the retained list.
Jepson explained: “The gaffer has been working non-stop, not just on Joe Skarz and Matt Glennon, who are two terrific signings for us, but on a hell of a lot of outside inquiries as well.
“The signings have to be right, because this is a big year for us and we want to do well and progress, and hopefully we will land the right people at the right time – but at this stage we’ve just got a lot of irons in the fire.
“Things will no doubt start to move later in the summer, with some good calibre signings coming in, but we are happy at the moment to have Joe committed until 2011 and Matt for the next two years.”
The 18-year-old academy product Skarz has made 50 senior appearances for Town, impressing at left-back and returning to the starting line-up for the final three matches of the season.
Glennon has missed only one match for the club (at Leeds after being sent-off) since signing two years ago and is rated highly by both Ternent at Jepson.
“We’ve been impressed with what we’ve seen of Matt, he’s a strong man in the dressing room and he’s just the sort of character the gaffer requires at the club,” said Jepson.
“He is a really good keeper, second in the Player of the Year poll and we are looking forward to working with him.
“Matt is a workaholic on the training ground, his record is good and he can help (goalkeeping coach) John Vaughan bring through the young keepers, Simon Eastwood and Alex Smithies.”
On Skarz, Jepson added: “He’s technically very good and we believe he’s got that desire and mental toughness you need to go on and progress.
“We will give him all the help and encouragement we can on the training ground and it’s up to Joe to show the manager and the supporters what he’s about.
“It’s a big, bad world out there and if you’ve got weaknesses in this game, people will exploit them. You have to be strong, and we believe Joe has the drive and desire to really push on and, hopefully, help take Town to where we want to be.”
Of the retained players, midfielder James Berrett is the only one still left to put pen to paper on a new deal for the Ternent era. Eight senior players were released on Tuesday.
