Luke Jones, the defender released by Shrewsbury Town at the end of last season, has signed for Blue Square Premier Division club Kidderminster Harriers.
Jones enjoyed a successful loan spell at Aggborough last season before being recalled by Paul Simpson, his first act as Town manager, but the former Blackburn Rovers reserve was deemed surplus to requirements at the end of the season, writes STUART DUNN.
Jones had found first team chances hard to come by with Shrewsbury after the heartache of missing a Wembley play-off final appearance a year ago when he injured his knee just 30 minutes before kick off.
The 21-year-old Lancastrian is now just glad to have resolved his future and is looking forward to playing under Harriers boss Mark Yates, although he will not be linking up with ex-Town team mate Chris Mackenzie as the goalkeeper parted company with Kidderminster yesterday.
“After getting released by Shrewsbury, signing for Kidderminster wasn’t a hard decision to make,” said Jones, who was restricted to just 14 league games for Town.
“The loan spell last season was a lease of life for me and I’m chomping at the bit to start the new season.
“I feel this is a fresh start and a chance to get out there on the pitch and show people what I can do.”
Jones is the second of the players released by Simpson last month to land a new club following Colin Murdock’s switch to Accrington Stanley.
Meanwhile, Town striker Guy Madjo will have his summer break curtailed after being called up to the Cameroon under-23 training camp as he attempts to secure a place in their Beijing-bound squad for the Olympics.
Madjo flies to France for the camp on Sunday, a day after he turns 24, and it runs until June 20, when he will discover if he’s done enough to make his country’s 23-man squad as one of the four permitted over-age players.
Madjo, who joined Town for £20,000 from Crawley in January, will also be in Japan to take part in an international friendly on June 12.
Should he be selected for the Olympics he would miss the start of Town’s League Two season as the Beijing tournament runs from August 6-24.
Town were keeping a close eye on events at Wembley last night to discover whether they are in line for a welcome £500,000 windfall.
Should former Meole Brace School pupil Joe Hart have gained his first full England cap in the friendly against USA, which kicked off after Chronicle printing deadlines, Town will receive the money as part of the deal which took the 21 year-old goalkeeper to Manchester City less than two years ago.
