Harrogate Railway sign Bradford City teenager Luca Mellor on work experience loan
Railway boss Lee Ashforth has come to an agreement with Bantams manager Phil Parkinson which will see the teenager play at Station View over the coming weeks.
Mellor is a second year youth professional at Bradford and spent a month on loan at Evo-Stik Northern League Premier side Whitby Town earlier this season.
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Hide AdThe central defender will come into consideration for Saturday's home clash against Warrington Town.
He is the third signing made by Ashforth since Railway lost 5-0 to Bamber Bridge on Tuesday night and is another sign of the influence of former chairman Rob Northfield's return to Station View in an advisory role.
Mellor follows former Bantams striker Nathan Curtis, 19, and Pickering Town right-back George Foster-Vicors through the door at Station View.
Ashforth said: “I chatted with Phil through Rob Northfield's contacts and agreed to take him on a work experience loan.
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Hide Ad“He's a big lad who will come in and do a job for us. He's played at Whitby for a month earlier in the season. It's good that he's got experience at this level.
Ashforth has also spoken to former Scarborough Athletic manager Paul Foot over the possibility of joining the club as a player.
Foot, 34, will be at Station View for Burscough's visit on Monday night to discuss a possible move to Station View.
Foot has recently joined Northern Counties Division One side Hull United to gain fitness but Ashforth was unaware and did not make the usual seven day's approach before speaking to the defender.
Ashforth added: “The ball is in Paul's court.
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Hide Ad“It was just a one-off chat. I don't think Hull will be upset with the way we have gone about it. It is different if we were actively going to sign the player.
“It's important that Paul does what's right for him. He wants to go away and think about it but he knows where we are.”
Foster-Vicors trained at Railway for a first time on Thursday and will replace the suspended Simon Parkes in Railway's squad against Warrington.
Ashforth said: “He's another young lad and is good friends with Charlie Clamp and Vincent Dhesi
“He looked at home straight away, really composed on the ball and fitted into the group really well.
“While he's not the tallest, he's quite a big lad and quick on the deck and looks after the ball.”