Moors have added further depth to their squad for the run-in with the news that vastly experienced defender Gary Liddle has joined the Club until the end of the season.
The 37-year-old centre-back has most recently been on the books at National League North rivals South Shields and has amassed some 782 senior appearances during his career, predominantly in League One and Two.
Liddle began his career at hometown club Middlesbrough and won the FA Youth Cup in 2004 as he came through the ranks at The Riverside Stadium.
In August 2006, he left Boro to join Hartlepool United and he went on to play a key role in their promotion from League Two, sharing the Players’ Player of the Year award for 2006/07 with Michael Nelson.
A versatile performer, Liddle played the majority of his football in midfield for Pools but was also comfortable playing anywhere across defence as he clocked up almost 300 appearances before moving on to Notts County in 2012.
His performances for The Magpies earned him a host of awards during his debut season at Meadow Lane before he was on the move again to join Bradford City in the summer of 2014.
Liddle went on to wear the colours of Chesterfield, Carlisle United and Walsall before returning to Hartlepool in 2019 and he again celebrated promotion as he helped the Club back to the EFL.
The classy defender was a regular during Pools’ first season back in League Two but failed to agree terms on a fresh deal and instead signed for South Shields in the summer of 2022.
Liddle’s authority in the centre of The Mariners’ defence was a key feature as they won promotion to National League North and his form earned him a place in the Northern Premier League’s Team of the Season for 2022/23.
It was announced earlier this month that he had been released from Shields by mutual consent and now Moors boss Graeme Lee has made his move to add the experienced campaigner to the ranks at The Brewery Field.
“It’s fantastic to be able to bring a player of Gary’s experience and quality into the Club at this stage of the season,” said Lee.
“I worked with Gary at Hartlepool United and he’s an outstanding competitor, a leader on and off the pitch and someone who can come in and help us during the final month.
“He’s looked after himself exceptionally well and still has plenty to give so I am really pleased that we’ve been able to add him to the squad.”
Liddle, who has signed non-contract forms with the Club, has been handed squad number 44 and is in contention to make his Moors debut in Tuesday evening’s game against Scunthorpe United.
Photo Credit: Mark Fletcher (MI News & Sport)
