FORMER England captain Terry Butcher knows a thing or two about heart and desire. One only has to recall the image of his blood-soaked shirt in Sweden to realise that.
So it should be no surprise that he continues to raid the grass-roots of English football to boost his Inverness Caledonian Thistle side’s chances in the Scottish Premier League next term.
Some might say it speaks volumes for the quality of football north of the border that loan goalkeeper Dean Brill – far from impressive when he got the chance to play at Luton last year – is his sixth signing of 2013 from Non-League.
Defender Daniel Devine didn’t convince me when I saw him play on loan for Wrexham at Grimsby, either. But former Newport County captain Gary Warren and ex-Macclesfield midfielder Ross Draper have been undoubted successes for Caley.
Of the others, Ben Greenhalgh played his part in two promotions – Maidstone from Ryman South and Concord Rangers into the Conference South. Ditto Danny Williams in the Conference North with Chester, after Neil Young plucked him from Kendal Town.
And James Vincent and Marley Watkins were two of the most impressive young talents on show in the upper reaches of the Conference Premier last season.
“We’ve added some players who are hungry from Non-League football,” said Butcher, who takes advantage of the fact that Scottish clubs can sign English players without paying compensation when they’re 23, rather than 24 for domestic moves. That’s why he’ll keep looking low to take lads to the Highlands!
