The season may have ended but Ballinamallard United manager Whitey Anderson has been very busy over the last couple of weeks as he looks to bolster his squad for the new season.

The season may have ended but Ballinamallard United manager Whitey Anderson has been very busy over the last couple of weeks as he looks to bolster his squad for the new season.

The Mallards boss brought his new additions to four this week with Shane McCabe, Aaron Patterson and Michael McCrudden joining Robbie Hume as the new faces at Ferney Park for the 2015/16 season. And Anderson is not done yet with the possibility of another two signings to his squad as he looks to hit the ground running next season.

McCrudden was the latest to sign for the Fermanagh outfit, with Anderson securing his signature on Tuesday night. The 23 year old joins from Institute and although he endured an injury plagued campaign last season, he was Championship Player of the Year when Institute won the Championship, scoring 17 goals in the process.

I’m delighted to have obtained Michael’s signature as there was interest from other clubs,” said Whitey. “We had him down at the club last week and he was very impressed with the facilities. He is a young player who was at Newcastle United for three years and he won Championship Player of the Year and scored 17 goals so from that point of view he has got the pedigree. I think he is going to fit in really well and I know that the supporters are going to enjoy watching him perform at Ferney Park. He is technically gifted, is both a play maker and goal scorer and simply wants to advance his career and hopefully we can help him achieve that here. I’m looking forward to seeing Michael play at Ferney Park.” McCrudden will be joined at Ferney Park by striker Aaron Patterson.

“Aaron is a young lad who has played in various Northern Ireland Schoolboy squads and came back from Australia and in January signed for Loughgall. He scored six goals in a very short space of time and he said to me that he wanted to prove a point and prove a few people wrong so I said we will give him that opportunity at Ballinamallard as long as you are hungry and have that desire. He is strong, pacey and has an eye for goal. He has that youthful exuberance and plays with no fear,” commented Anderson.

And Anderson has also added experience and leadership in the signature of Shane McCabe, who he expects to be a driving force on and off the pitch.

“I’m delighted with the signature of Shane, he has a great enthusiasm to do well and that will rub off on everybody. He will expect high standards of all the players around him and I know having spoken to some of the players it has also lifted them as well. I have no doubt he will help things on and off the pitch and I think the young players will learn a lot from him.” Whitey is pleased with the additions he has brought in to date but he is keen for another couple to complete his squad.

“I have to say I’m very happy. I’m going on holidays in ten days so I just wanted to get everything sorted out. From the minute we were safe I have been working very hard with the club, the chairman and those behind the scenes to move things on. At this stage I’m still hopeful of another signing before the end of the week and probably then one more signing after that which may be in pre-season or just before pre-season and if I can get that done that’s my business done and we’ll be ready to hit the ground running.”