ROSSENDALE UNITED have signed former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Lee Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick, who played in the same FA Youth Cup final team as David Dunn, has signed from Leigh RMI, the team he joined after leaving Third Division Hartlepool at the end of last season.

He played his first match in the 3-1 win at league leaders Radcliffe Borough on Boxing Day.

"He was at Rovers and then ended up at Hartlepool and he scored 11 goals from midfield and played in the play offs last season before he moved to Leigh," said Dale manager Jim McCluskie.

"You can see the pedigree. You can tell he has the ability.

"I heard from a contact of mine at Leigh that he was available and I just rang him and had a chat and said talk to Chris Scott about what we are all about and get back to me.

"Within a few hours he was back on the phone saying he wanted to sign for us."

Meanwhile, Dale have been awarded the club of the month award for December after five consecutive wins - four in the league and one in the League Cup.

"I am really pleased," said McCluskie. "We had a dodgy month the month before last and the lads' heads could have gone down but they didn't and now they have got their reward.

"We went to some tough places, like Radcliffe where we got a great result. I am made up for the lads."

McCluskie said it was a mixture of attitude, new players and players returning from injury that inspired the turn-around.

"We've signed two or three and got two or three back from injury and it is no coincidence that results started to pick up when those players came in.

"I know that on our day we can be a match for anyone in this division."

Dale travel to Ossett Albion tomorrow.