Shropshire Star

Telford's James Montgomery linked with move to Chesterfield

James Montgomery has been backed to make the Football League – by staying at AFC Telford United after Chesterfield were linked with him.

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Rumours in north Derbyshire claim the 22-year-old Bucks keeper is a target for the League One club, whose goalkeeping coach Mark Crossley left this week to become John Sheridan's assistant boss at Notts County.

Montgomery, who came through the ranks in Middlesbrough's academy before joining Guiseley and the Nike Academy and spent a week training with Wolves last August, recently signed a new one-year deal to remain at the Bucks Head, where he has been since March 2015.

But he has been linked with the pro game before, with Championship side Huddersfield and League One outfit Bury also said to be interested in the north east-based shot-stopper. But Telford assistant manager Larry Chambers believes Montgomery is best placed staying where he is to get his big break, by showcasing himself with the Bucks where he has been first choice since his arrival apart from losing his place initially through a finger injury to Ludlow-based Wolves loan youngster Harry Burgoyne.

"He doesn't want to be going somewhere to be a number three and I think he thinks he's got more chance of progressing by being a number one somewhere and he has that here," said Chambers.

"Those rumours have been going around and I think if Monty thought something was happening he would have taken that into account when he signed here again. Bury, Huddersfield and Chesterfield have all been rumoured to be interested but no one has come in with anything concrete.

"I said to him 'if you get an opportunity (with a Football League club), it's something to consider' but I think he wants to be settled and playing games."

Montgomery was the first of the existing players to commit their futures to Rob Smith's side and he was followed by player of the year and right-back Dwayne Samuels, left-back Darren Campion, central midfielders Lucas Dawson and Jack Rea and teenage winger Zak Lilly, while Curtis Tilt is still to decide his future after receiving offers from Telford and Salford City.

Smith has bolstered his squad by signing right-back James Hurt, central defenders Ben Bailey and Dan Preston and midfielder Lee Fowler.

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