Former Carlisle United and Workington full-back Liam Brockbank has joined Altrincham.
After a successful season with Lancaster City, after which he was voted supporters Player of the Year, the 21-year-old south Cumbrian has now stepped up two levels.
Brockbank, of Millom, joined Carlisle’s youth set-up as an eight-year-old and then followed Danny Grainger to Borough Park when he took the Workington job in 2019.
Grainger was a big admirer of the youngster who shone during his two years in charge of the team and it was something of a surprise when he left to join Lancaster last season.
But it was a step-up, from NPL West to NPL Premier and now he has been given the opportunity to prove his capabilities two levels higher.
Altrincham manager Phil Parkinson reckons he has unearthed a gem in Brockbank and hailed him as ‘one of the hottest prospects’ around after pulling off the move that is subject to FA and National League approval..
Parkinson said: “Liam Brockbank is one of the hottest prospects coming out of the Northern Premier League. He’s developed a big reputation for himself as a goal-scoring and creative left-back.
“I first scouted Liam playing in a very good footballing side at Workington and then monitored his progress at Lancaster City, where he picked up supporters’ player of the season this time around.
“He’s a futsal International, so you should definitely see this in his technical side of the game and tenacity in which he plays.”
Brockbank is the fifth new player to sign for Altrincham since the end of the season, all of them young men that Parkinson believes will develop in the National League.
