Former Mansfield Town manager busy in transfer market as ex-Nottingham Forest defender bags new job and Sunderland swoop for ex-Celtic man

Former Mansfield Town manager Keith Curle has completed his second signing of the summer at Northampton Town with the capture of Stevenage left-sided player Joe Martin.
Keith Curle, who has made two new signings already at Northampton Town. (PHOTO BY: Pete Norton/Getty Images)Keith Curle, who has made two new signings already at Northampton Town. (PHOTO BY: Pete Norton/Getty Images)
Keith Curle, who has made two new signings already at Northampton Town. (PHOTO BY: Pete Norton/Getty Images)

Martin, 30, was released by Stevenage last week, having spent the first half of the term on loan at Bristol Rovers.

He becomes Curle’s second signing as Cobblers boss after the capture of Stockport County attacker Matty Warburton.

Also in League Two, promoted MK Dons have released Ousseynou Cisse and Brandon Thomas-Asante to make room for new signings, manager Paul Tisdale has revealed.

Cisse made 26 league appearances this season to help the Dons go up at the expense of Mansfield Town, while Thomas-Asante spent most of the season on loan at Sutton United and Oxford City.

Tisdale said: “You build a team throughout the course of the year, and Brandon and Ouss were very much a part of that.

“However, I can’t afford to keep everybody and I also want to make one or two signings, so I have to clear some room.”

In League One, Scunthorpe United have confirmed the arrival of Paul Hurst as the club’s new manager.

The 44-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Ipswich Town in October after just 14 matches.

After leading Ilkeston Town, Boston United and Grimsby Town to promotion, Hurst almost took Shrewsbury to the Championship in 2018 but they lost in the play-off final to Rotherham United.

He will be joined at Scunthorpe by former Nottingham Forest defender Chris Doig, who has taken on the role of assistant manager.

Meanwhile, promotion-chasing Sunderland are set to appoint former Celtic chief scout John Park as their new director of football, it has been claimed.

Celtic’s interim boss Neil Lennon wanted Park to return to the Scottish giants after former Black Cats sporting director Lee Congerton left for Leicester City last week.

But it is believed Park has instead opted for a move to the Stadium of Light after being offered a five-year-deal.

Park, who was chief scout at Celtic between 2007 and 2016, was credited with discovering the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and Ki Sung-yueng,

Sunderland are also one of the clubs, along with Portsmouth and Fleetwood Town, who are chasing Oldham Athletic defender George Edmundson.

The 21-year-old, who is reportedly valued at £500,000, is in high demand, and the Latics have already been forced to reject offers for their prized asset.

Championship clubs Stoke City, Hull City and Preston North End are also credited with being interested in Edmundson, well as Rangers in Scotland.

Edmundson has undergone the same footballing education as Burnley star James Tarkowski, who also came through the ranks at Boundary Park.