Keltie To Return
by Scott Thornberry - 7th January 2010
WIth no games for Darlington in nearly a month it makes a change to actually write a story about something that has happened at the club.
Nearly all loan signings have returned to their parent clubs so Steve Staunton has places left in his squad to fill. One player that is set to sign on Monday is love him or hate him Clark Keltie. The geordie midfielder left the club in 2008 and signed for Rochdale. After playing the majority of games in his first season at Spotland Keltie triggered a clause in his contract to award him a further year. But things turned sour and Keltie has rarely featured this season as Rochdale fly high in league Two. He had brief loan spells at Chester and more recently Gateshead. Last month his contract was ended by mutual agreement and he has since been training with The Quakers.
Staunton has also added to other midfielders to his squad. Tadhg Purcell and Gary Dempsey join up with their fellow Irishman at the Arena.
Tadhg played most his schoolboy career at Leicester Celtic.He also gained success with his St.Benildus team. He was part of the U18 Dublin Soccer champions team at St. Benildus College in 2003.
Tadhg originally received a soccer scholarship off University College Dublin A.F.C. UCD, where he played the beginning of his senior career. He played on several occasions for UCD in the League of Ireland 2004 season. Following a bust-up with then manager Pete Mahon, Purcell moved to Kilkenny City under the astute management of Pat Scully for the 2005 season. He spent a season there with Pat but then moved to Shamrock Rovers for the 2006 season along with his fellow manager Scully after Kilkenny failed to get promoted from the First Division.
He made his Rovers debut in the opening game of the 2006 season. Following a succesful first season with the Hoops he signed a two and a half year contract in July 2007. Purcell eventually departed the club in September 2009 [4]
His last goal for Rovers was his only goal in 2009
Dempsey meanwhile is a central midfielder. Although blessed with fine technical ability and good vision, Dempsey struggled with the physical rigours of the SPL in the Aberdeen midfield. Under pressure from a large section of the Don's support, Dempsey travelled to Doncaster to spend a trial with Doncaster Rovers in January 2006. A move failed to materialise, and although Dempsey returned to Aberdeen, his future at the club looked bleak. But as the 2005/2006 season drew to a close, he forced his way back into the first team picture after a number of fine bit-part performances.
On the 26th of March 2007, Aberdeen announced that he had rejected their final contract offer, and shortly afterwards he signed for Yeovil.
St Patrick's Athletic announced his signing on January 31, 2008. Gary scored the equaliser away to IF Elfsborg in the UEFA Cup 2008-09.
Staunton said of his signings "Tadhg is a strong lad and a grafter. He can finish and knows the game. He is a good talker as well and that is always good to have up front. Gary Dempsey has also signed on. He is experienced and has played in Scotland and back in Ireland and has been around a bit. He is a good all rounder and can put his foot in as well. He should be a good signing for us in this division,"
"We are hoping these two can come in and do a job for us straight away. The good thing is as well is they are our own players so they won't have to be swapped or changed between now and the end of the season. It is good to have our own players because they get to know you better and you can build some togetherness. I am looking forward to getting a settled squad from now until the end of the season. These two will help us do that."