Micky Mellon checks out Scottish duo

Free agents Black, 30, and Rhys McCabe, 23, played in Town development team's opening 3-2 win at Wrexham yesterday as boss Micky Mellon looks to replace Ryan Woods, Martin Woods and James Wesolowski.

Experienced Black has been without a club since being released from Rangers in the summer.

Having rejected opportunities in Scotland following trials with Berwick Rangers and Raith Rovers, he decided to try his luck south of the border.

A Scottish Cup winner with Hearts in 2012 – the year he gained his only full cap – he was part of the Rangers team who won back-to-back promotions from Division Three in 2013 and League One in 2014 before missing out on a return to the SPL last season.

He was subsequently one of 11 players released to herald the arrival of new Ibrox boss Mark Warburton and is the only one not to have been snapped up.

Described as tough tackling, he is just four league appearances short of 300 for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Hearts and Rangers, with 17 goals to his name.

Black said: "I've got a few options down south so I'm looking at those.

"Blackpool looked to be one of them, however, nothing concrete has been offered so far.

"Touch wood, I've been injury-free and I've not had any operations or bad injuries so that's a benefit."

McCabe was one of 10 players released by Sheffield Wednesday this summer.

The three-capped former Scotland Under-21 international started his career at Rangers where he was highly rated, but left when the club's finances collapsed, making just nine appearances.

From there he signed a three-year deal with the Owls, where he played 30 times in the Championship, plus a four-match spell at Portsmouth.