Following a short-term injury to Sam Slocombe, we have completed the loan signing of Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
Our number-one could be out for up to three weeks after taking a knock in training and, following Ciaran Brennan’s arrival on Wednesday, we have once again moved swiftly into the loan market to source cover.
Patterson, 21, is highly regarded at Sunderland and has already made four first-team appearances for them this season – two in League One and two in the EFL Cup, emerging victorious on each occasion.
And Ian Burchnall is confident we have made another strong addition at short notice.
“As disappointed as we are to have lost Sam, we’re delighted to have been able to add another quality loan player in Anthony,” said the head coach.
“I know people at Sunderland and they rate him really highly, as evidenced by his involvement in their first-team environment not only this season but over the past few years.
“He trained with the boys today and we’ll do everything we can to fully prepare him for Altrincham.
“Contact injuries like Sam’s and Connell Rawlinson’s are inevitable over the course of a long season but to lose them both at the same time as Kyle Cameron is very unfortunate.
“These are the challenges football poses, though, and the important thing is to be prepared to deal with them, which I feel we have been.”
Tiernan Brooks, meanwhile, will continue his loan spell with Worksop Town.
“He’s doing really well there and we don’t want to disrupt that,” said Burchnall.
“As much as we rate Tiernan and feel he has a bright future with us, he still has a lot of development ahead of him before he’s ready for first-team football with us.
“He understands that and is applying himself brilliantly at Worksop, which will do him the world of good.”
Patterson, who will wear squad number 25, will remain with us until 26 October.