Exciting midfielder Dan Crowley has signed a two-year deal at Meadow Lane.
The 25-year-old Arsenal academy graduate joins us following his departure from Morecambe, for whom he was an impressive performer in League One last season.
And our board of directors are thrilled to welcome him to the club.
A statement reads: “As you might expect given his excellent pedigree, Dan has phenomenal technical ability which we believe can be deployed in deep and advanced midfield roles. He’s also very comfortable drifting into wider positions.
“He has so many strengths in possession of the ball – a wide passing range, incisiveness, brilliant balance, rapid acceleration and wonderful close-control. He’s a real joy to watch when in full flow and is also an excellent set-piece taker.
“Dan has tremendous experience from his many appearances in the Championship and League One, as well as in the Dutch top flight, and we think he’s a brilliant fit for our system.
“While we already possess tremendous quality in central areas, we felt we needed to add more competition and depth and Dan will certainly provide that.
“We also believe we can give him a structure and platform to thrive. We look forward to seeing him settle in.”
Coventry-born Crowley progressed through Aston Villa’s youth ranks and his performances against Arsenal peaked the interest of Arsene Wenger, who pushed to bring the then 15-year-old to north London.
Crowley established himself as one of the Gunners’ most exciting young talents, eventually signing a professional contract and elevating himself to the fringes of the first team, while also graduating into the England Under 19s squad.
He furthered his experience with loan spells at Barnsley and Oxford, both in League One, before experiencing life in the Dutch top flight with Go Ahead Eagles – a move which proved the perfect precursor to his permanent switch to another Eredevisie side, Willem II, ahead of the 2017-18 season.
A strong second campaign, in which he helped his side reach the Dutch Cup final, paved the way for a return to England as Birmingham City paid for his services.
Crowley made 38 Championship appearances in his debut season at St Andrew’s before falling out of favour due to a change in tactical approach in 2020-21, leading to a loan move to Hull City which saw him help the Tigers to the League One title.
A short-term deal at Cheltenham preceded a return to Willem II, where he again played in the top tier of Dutch football before securing a return to England with Morecambe in January.
Crowley quickly impressed with his performances and will now be looking to make a strong start to life at Meadow Lane.
Fancy joining Dan in signing up for 2023-24? Click here for season tickets!