Goalkeeping cover arrives with signing of Adam Legzdins
Sean Dyche confirmed he was looking to replace Paul Robinson when the former England goalkeeper announced his retirement recently and he’s done that today with the capture of Birmingham City’s much travelled stopper Adam Legzdins on a three year deal.
Birmingham born, he started his career with the Blues but left nine years ago having only played first team games while out on loan at Halifax. He had three spells there as well as short loans as cover at Oldham and Macclesfield but when he left Birmingham in the summer of 2008 he moved to Crewe.
There was a loan at Weymouth during his first season at Gresty Road but it was his next move that established him as a first choice goalkeeper for the first time when he signed for Burton in the summer of 2010 where he played every league game in the following season.
That prompted Derby to move for him. He established himself as first choice there in his second season but the signing of Lee Grant from Burnley brought an end to that and he moved to Leyton Orient three years ago.
Two summers ago he returned to Birmingham, signed by Gary Rowett who had taken him to Burton five years earlier. He challenged Tomasz Kuszczak for the first team jersey but the arrival of David Stockdale this summer saw him miss out last Saturday on the opening day of the season with Stockdale making his debut and Kuszczak on the bench.
Now aged 30, his signing will provide extra cover in the goalkeeping department and is expected to allow one of the younger goalkeepers, likely to be Conor Mitchell, to go out on loan with Chester hoping to sign him.
Having completed the move, Legzdins, who had a year remaining on his contract at Birmingham, said: “I’m not one to stand still. I’d like to think I’ve got a good feel of things and I just felt it was the right time. Interest from someone like Burnley is something you can’t ignore, no matter what the situation was at Birmingham, and after speaking to the people here I think it will be a really good fit for myself. I’m looking forward to working hard to see what happens. I’m looking forward to working with the goalkeepers that are already here.
“Tom has achieved fantastic things. I have played against him in the Championship many times and Nick Pope is a great talent behind him, but I’m here to excel and I want to push them and help improve the goalkeeper department. I think I can add a lot of things which can help us all kick on and I’m looking forward to learning from Billy and the other two goalkeepers.
“To be in an environment where there is healthy competition can only help us all moving forward and I want to achieve as much as possible. Looking at the fixtures coming up, it’s nothing but excitement for me and my family.”
Goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer added: “I wanted someone who is going to push both Nick and Tom. As I’ve said to all of them ‘we don’t do one, two, three’ and no-one is guaranteed a place in any position at the football club, so it’s a healthy competition for places and one I’m looking forward to seeing.
“Adam is a good age, he’s got a lot of games behind him, he’s very athletic, he’s a big lad with a lot of presence and one who will add to the group, for sure. He’s hungry and very professional, which fits what we’re about here. He will push and work his socks off to challenge. It’s a good move for him, an exciting more for him, and one I know he’s going to relish.
“I was sad to see Paul go but I think we have got a really good replacement in Adam and he’s going to push Nick and Tom, so the goalkeeping department looks really good at the moment.”
Follow UpTheClarets:
Share this page :