Preston North End have announced the signing of two youth players from Australia, having finally obtained clearance for them in the last week.
Bailey Wright and Cameron Parrish have both signed two-year youth scholarships and will go straight into coach Jamie Hoyland's squad for tomorrow's Youth Alliance league match with Burnley.
Both have been in the UK since July and have had to wait until the appropriate clearance had been approved before finally being allowed to play for the youth team.
The double deal represents a significant coup for Preston North End's youth department as they had been awaiting their clearance for some time after offering them deals following trials.
17-year-old central defender Wright hails from Melbourne and has represented Australia's U17 national team while central midfielder Parrish comes from Sydney, having previously had trials with Bolton Wanderers.
Wright and Parrish both follow in the footsteps of North End's most famous antipodean player Joe Marston who ran out almost 200 times for the Club in the 1950s.
Director of Youth Dean Ramsdale told PNE Player, in an exclusive interview about the signings, what PNE fans can expect from the two teenagers: "We've waited a long time for this. It has been really difficult for the boys because they've trained every day, while we've had games, and I think they've found it frustrating. We've worked with them in training even though they've not had the chance to play in the Youth Alliance and cup games, but luckily that chance has now come to fruition."
"Bailey is a centre half who likes to head, kick and tackle, but the boy can also play. Cameron has all the tricks and is technically very very good with two good feet, so they're complete oppostites as footballers, but we feel they'll complement our youth team well."
17-year-old Wright told PNE.com in an exclusive interview: "I had trials at Christmas and then was offered a two-year scholarship which was great, it doesn't really get any better than playing in England.
"I went back and did some research into the Club and a bloke at the team I was playing for knew a lot about Preston North End so I looked up about Tom Finney and the Invincibles and didn't realise there was so much to know about the Club, so it was good to know all that."
Central midfielder Parrish told the official website about having to wait for a game and about the 'Aussie' who served the Club with such distinction many years ago: "I've been here for five months now and it's been frustrating training every day and not having anything to look forward to at the end of the week, but it's good to have my first game against Burnley this weekend which should be good, I can't wait.
"I knew about Preston North End from when I was at home, I knew which league they were in and knew that there was another Aussie back in the day who reached the FA Cup Final and stuff which is quite good."
You'll be able to watch full interviews with Dean, Bailey and Cameron later on today on PNE Player, available for the equivalent of 10p a day - click on the logo at the top of the page to find out more.
