Mettam begins Steelmen rebuild in style as EIGHT players commit to Corby Town cause
Interim boss Leon Mettam has began rebuilding the Corby Town squad with a bang, with the club announcing EIGHT signings ahead of Saturday's trip to Boldmere St Michael's.
Mettam had said after the New Year’s Day defeat to AFC Rushden & Diamonds that piecing together a new squad following the mass exodus sparked by budget cuts at Steel Park would 'take time to execute', but he has gone a long way to rectifying the situation this week.
Three of the players announced have already featured in the recent games, but they have now fully committed to the Corby cause.
One of those is Sam Warburton, who has already played a couple of games on a short-term loan, but that arrangement for the imposing central defender has been extended.
Joining Warburton at Jimmy Kane Way are seven other players, and also signing on loan are Northampton Town pair Theo Avery and Fran Obiagwu.
Goalkeeper Avery joins initially on a one-month loan, with the 19-year-old Irishman having signed on at Sixfields last summer having spent the previous two years at Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest.
He has been involved in Cobblers first team matchday squads this season, without making his senior debut and he arrives at Steel Park with Northampton keen for him to gain senior experience.
Obiagwu is a striker who last season became the youngest player to play for the Cobblers at the age of 16 years and 170 days when he came on as a late substitute in a League One clash with Charlton Athletic at Sixfields.
He also played against the Steelmen for the Cobblers in an NFA Hillier Senior Cup clash last term, and has also previously played for Corby's Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division rivals and county neighbours Wellingborough Town.
Among the players joining the black and white ranks on a permanent basis are two that have featured in recent Steelmen matches in Brad Gothard and Abdul Koroma.
Gothard signs from fellow Step 4 side St Neots Town, while Koroma, who has played for the Steelmen previously, rejoins after a spell away from football.
Koroma has previously played for Shepshed Dynamo, Spalding United and AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
The other new signings are attacker Matteo Perkins, central midfielder James Matthews and Cenk Acar.
Perkins has plenty of non-league experience having played for the likes of Eynesbury Rovers, St Neots Town, Wisbech Town, Yaxley, Newark Town and Shepshed Dynamo, while Matthews joins Corby from AFC Mansfield.
An international-level triathlete, Matthes has also played for Mickleover, Carlton Town, Frickley Athletic, Sherwood Colliery and Hallam.
Finally, attacking player Acar joins the Steelmen from Skegness Town, having started his career at EFL side Lincoln City. He has also played for Spalding United, Wisbech Town and Lincoln United.