Shandy wins Unibond deal

Last updated : 13 July 2003 By Tony Scholes

Former Burnley striker Anthony Shandran may well not be returning to York City but his loan spell at Bootham Crescent has been responsible for securing him a deal with a Unibond Premier League Club.

Although it appears he didn’t impress Brassy enough to win a deal with York for this season one of his team mates was suitably impressed. That was Alex Mathie, the former Newcastle, Ipswich and Preston forward who played alongside Shandran.

Mathie has now left York and at the end of May took over as new manager of Unibond Premier League Club Spennymoor United replacing Jamie Pollock after he had steered them to promotion.

Mathie is rebuilding the squad and Shandran is his fourth signing to add to Carl Shippen (Sunderland), Gary Hobson (York) and Nick Richardson (Harrogate Town).

It never quite worked out for Shandy at the Turf after he broke into the first team squad and made his debut as a sub at Crewe in February 2001, replacing Ian Moore. At the time Stan said he would get a first team start by the end of the season but the call didn’t come and in fact Shandy never made the bench again.

His last season at Burnley, one where he wanted to give it a real go to prove himself, was hit by injury before even a ball was kicked. What was thought to be shin splints turned out to be a stress fracture and he missed over half of the season.

The loan spell at York didn’t work out but now he has the chance to resurrect his career with Spennymoor who ended last season in 2nd place in the Unibond First Division winning promotion alongside Champions Alfreton Town and play off winners Radcliffe Borough managed by ex-Claret Kevin Glendon.

Shandy is still just 22 and a good season in the Unibond could yet see him getting another chance at Football League level.