Yellows sign former Liverpool 'keeper Daniel Atherton

Atherton, 21, spent time with the club last summer before landing a deal to play in America with USL side FC Malaga City.

The previous summer, he was part of Liverpool’s 28-man squad that went on tour to America, and Atherton even featured in a pre-season game as an outfield substitute after an injury prompted Jurgen Klopp to throw him in to the action – days before he made an appearance in goal in front of 25,000 fans in a friendly at Bradford.

The Yellows have beaten off competition to tie down Atherton, who played the full 90 minutes of Saturday’s friendly against Tranmere, to a deal ahead of the new Northern Premier League season which kicks off on August 14.

Born in Haydock and a boyhood Liverpool fan, Atherton featured for Liverpool’s Under 18s and Under 23s side, playing in the EFL Trophy as well as the UEFA Youth League.

He had a loan spell at Marine back in 2020, which was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Manager Paul Carden said: “He was our number one target, to be honest. I’ve spoke to numerous goalkeepers in the period of time since we’ve needed one, and we’ve always come back to Dan.

“He’s been out of the country for a while – he’s been in America and was in Spain before that – but once I knew he was coming back, he was the one I wanted all along. There were others standing out but he was always in the back of my head. I’m glad he’s come back and I’m glad he’s signed.

“A lot of people nowadays want 6ft2 or 6ft3 goalkeepers but we’ve never been like that with the keepers we’ve brought in. Tony Mac (Tony McMillan) wasn’t the biggest, Luke Pilling wasn’t the biggest and obviously we went the other way with the likes Bobby (Jones) and Charlie (Albinson). I’ve had agents on asking me what type of goalkeeper I want and the answer is always “a good one.” Dan certainly ticks the boxes when it comes to that.”