ACCRINGTON STANLEY'S swoop for the former Liverpool man Mike Marsh could be the first of several for the club this summer.

As revealed in yesterday's Lancashire Evening Telegraph, Reds boss John Coleman has signed the 32-year-old former West Ham and Galatasaray player on a two-year contract.

Stanley chairman Eric Whalley said the classy midfielder may not be the last former pro to sign to the UniBond Premier League club this summer.

"You have to realise that we have a very young side," said Whalley.

"We were looking to bring in some experience and we think he is the person to do that.

"He is a player that has class and experience and I think he will mix well with the youngsters."

Marsh played more than 100 games for Liverpool after signing on a free from his local side, Kirby Town, in 1987.

He moved to West Ham in 1993 in a swap deal that saw defender Julian Dicks move in the opposite direction.

After 61 games at Upton Park, Coventry signed him for £450,000, and after just six months at Highfield Road he joined Graeme Souness's Galatasaray for £500,000.

He returned to England just months later, in September 1995, to join Southend but after 97 appearances over two and a half years he was forced to retire with a knee injury. He joined Kidderminster in November 1999, after a brief spell with UniBond Premier side Barrow, making 27 appearances and scoring five goals.

But when Kidderminster were promoted to the Football League Marsh, who had become a popular player at Aggborough, was forced to leave because of an insurance pay-out he had received on the knee injury preventing him from playing pro football again. He spent a year at Southport before joining Boston United for £15,000 in a blaze of publicity around a year ago.

But he played just a handful of games for the club before leaving in September, when the club went full-time.

According to Boston Target reporter Rob Singleton, Marsh said at the time that was leaving because he didn't think he could handle the rigours of full-time football.

He has been without a club since he left Boston.

Whalley said he was excited about the signing. "He was Conference Player of the Year two years ago so it is very exciting but I get excited when we sign an 18-year-old because he could pay for a new stand," he said.

"We are looking forward to welcoming him to the club and hopefully he will be the first of two or three former pros to sign for the club.

"Something could be happening shortly."

And manager Coleman, who has not had to pay a fee for the player, revealed that he tried to sign him months ago.

"I did try to sign him earlier last season but it wasn't to be.

"He is a ball-playing midfielder but he is not scared to tackle. I know him because he lives in Kirby where we live and I am delighted he has agreed to join us."

FACT FILE:

Name: Michael Marsh

Height: 5ft 8in

Weight: 11st

Date of birth: 21-7-1969

Place of Birth: Liverpool

Position: Midfielder

Playing career - Kirby Town: 1/08/86 to 21/8/87; no appearance data available

Liverpool: 21/8/87 to 17-9-93 (free); 70(31) apps, 6 gls

West Ham United: 17/09/93 to 30/12/94 (Swap deal); 58(3) apps, 2 gls

Coventry City: 30/12/94 to 26/06/95 (£450,000); 19(0) apps, 2 gls

Galatasary: 26/06/95 to 3/09/95 (£500,000); 3(0) apps, 0 gls

Southend: 3/09/95 to12/12/97 (500000; 97(0)

apps, 13 gls

Barrow: 1/08/98 to 27/01/99; no appearance figures available

Kidderminster: 19/11/99 to 18/05/00 (free); 23(1) apps, 4 gls

Southport: 18/05/00 to 9/06/01 (free); 37(0) apps, 7 gls

Boston United: 9/06/01 to 20/09/01 (£15,000); 7(0) apps, 1 gl