Door's still open for Balotelli coup

Salford City fans are unlikely to see Mario Balotelli's brother Enoch turning out for them in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League this season but the First Division North outfit insist the door is still open for him.

While the striker's Manchester City sibling continues to attract fresh headlines, The Ammies admit they've almost given up on signing his 20-year-old younger brother, pictured, despite the fact that he'd signed his league registration forms on non-contract terms in mid November and at the time publically pledged his future to them.

Mario, 22, signed for Premier League City in August 2010 for a reported fee of £24m and 20-year-old Enoch won worldwide headlines when he told media he was about to join Darren Sheridan's side down the road, declaring: "I am more than happy to join Salford. I just want to play football. I trained with them, I enjoyed it, so I signed."

Salford City Secretary Andy Giblin admits the club is delighted with the surge in media interest at Moor Lane but dismissed claims from some quarters that the attempted coup was a PR stunt. Setting the record straight on Friday, Giblin said they'd since lost contact with the player and revealed that a failure to get the paperwork completed for his international clearance was to blame for not seeing him make his debut in the Evo-Stik NPL.

Giblin also revealed that unlike his older brother, adopted Enoch had registered to play under his orginal family name of Barwuah. He said: "We invited Enoch to a training session in November and the Italian striker signed a registration form for the Northern Premier League.

"However, despite assurances from Enoch's advisor that details required for an application to obtain international clearance would be forwarded, no further contact had been established. The club have therefore not been able to apply for international clearance for the player and it now seems that he has been seeking to play elsewhere - possibly at home in Italy or perhaps in Spain.

"Salford City extended their invitation to Enoch in good faith. Unfortunately, it now looks as if the chances of him turning out at Moor Lane are slim but the club would be more than happy if he decided to play for us after all."