Soccer: Knights sign up third keeper

Uncertainty over Danny Milosevic's future at the club has forced Knights coach Paul Nevin to sign a third goalkeeper for the 2006-07 season.

All Whites and former Napier City Rovers custodian Mark Paston will return to New Zealand after upcoming international matches against European club sides Charlton Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and Seville FC to join the Auckland-based franchise.

He returns from Britain where, since 2003, he has played for English clubs Walsall and Bradford City and Scottish club St Johnstone.

He joins another new signing, Michael Turnbull - Nevin's preferred choice - and Milosevic.

Paston, free from the injuries which have hampered him in recent times, is looking forward to playing at the Knights.

"It is the chance to come back and have two summers in a row," said Paston from England a few hours before joining the All Whites yesterday. "I'm now 100 per cent fit and healthy and over the shoulder injury which cost me any chance of playing for New Zealand in Europe this year."

Of the impending battle to win a starting spot ahead of Turnbull Paston said: "That's how the game normally works. You wait for your chance through injury or form and take it. You put your head down in training, show the coach what you can do, and fight for the No 1 spot."

Milosevic has already made it clear he is far from happy in being regarded as second choice behind Turnbull and would prefer to move on if the opportunity arose.

Paston joins other new signings Che Bunce and Michael White and incumbent Noah Hickey as the only New Zealanders in the 19 players named so far. A 20th player, apparently not a New Zealander, has been signed but his identity will not be revealed until he arrives next week.


Re-signed Knights
Danny Milosevic, Frank van Eijs, Darren Bazeley, Neil Emblen, Sean Devine, Noah Hickey.

New signings
Michael Turnbull, Mark Paston, Gregory Duruz, Che Bunce, Sime Kovacevic, Richard Johnson, Scott Gemmill, Jonas Salley, Malik Buari, Jonti Richter, Michael White, Dani Rodrigues, Adam Casey.