AFC Telford United swoop for Tom Peers
AFC Telford United have swooped to make versatile attacker Tom Peers their latest capture – as hopes of signing goal-getter Elliott Durrell faded.
Twenty-year-old Peers, who had spells with Hednesford last season after being released by Chester, has become the Bucks' ninth new player this summer.
Peers is well known to manager Rob Smith and assistant Larry Chambers as he spent a short time at Keys Park at the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
The youngster has made a total of 24 appearances in National League Premier for Chester over the last three seasons, after making his debut in December 2013, but has only started three times.
He appeared in the non-league top flight seven times last season, scoring once. Smith said: "I took Tom on loan to Hednesford the year before last and he's very versatile.
"He can play down the middle or wide and will give us that flexibility. He's also strong and powerful and he's looking to bounce back at a higher level.
"He's quite a physical player, he works hard and he's got goals in him so he's a very good acquisition.
"I think one of his spells at Hednesford was cut short by injury but he played against Hednesford for Chester in a pre-season friendly and was superb."
Meanwhile, Smith appears to have run out of patience with Durrell, who now seems set to sign for Chester.
The 26-year-old free-scoring midfielder had spoken to Smith amid interest from Chester, Halifax and Boston.
But the Bucks boss reckons any chance of him signing for Telford has now gone.
Smith said: "He's going to Chester, as far as I'm aware. If he calls to tell me he's not, then I'd be amazed.
"If he wanted to sign for us there was something there a while back, but not now.
"There's nothing happening with him and there's no offer on the table for him. There comes a time where we need to move on.
"Elliott wants to speak to this club and that club and I will only focus on players who are serious about coming to Telford and that's what we're doing.
"I'm not prepared to wait and wait forever because, if you do that, you miss out on people.
"It's probably been a period of five or six weeks on and off and we can't afford to do that."
