Welsh Shipped to Blackpool

by Ravi Edwards - August 30, 2007

 
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Toronto FC have seen enough - or not enough as the case may be - of winger Andy Welsh and have decided to offload the winger to Championship side Blackpool on the final day of the transfer window.

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Having signed for the MLS newcomers in March, the Manchester-born Scotsman is on his way back to England having played only 20 games, in which he scored just the one goal and had three assists.

The 24-year old soon became a high-salaried substitute ($215,000) and was forced to play mostly left midfield, and more recently right midfield, in an attempt to fill injury-caused absences. Welsh made his final TFC appearance in a 2-0 home defeat to Chivas USA.

The Tangerines have recently regained a spot in the second tier of English football after winning the League One playoff final at Wembley Stadium this spring and are currently languishing in mid-table, having picked up four points from their first three league games of the season.

Though they have yet to really kick-start their league campaign, Blackpool were buoyed by a Carling Cup success over Premiership newcomers Derby County this week.

The move will free up much needed finances for Toronto, who can now begin to prepare for next season with more salary flexibility. It's also a good move for the player as he never really seemed to settle in MLS.

"(Transferring Welsh) means we've got extra cash for next year," TFC coach Mo Johnston commented to the Toronto Sun. "When this was made known to me that there was a possibility that we could move (Welsh), it was a no-brainer."

Welsh started his career at English fourth tier side Stockport County and had loan spells at fellow lower league side Macclesfield before getting a big move to Premiership outfit Sunderland, where he scored a solitary goal. He was loaned to Championship side Leicester City before deciding to make the free transfer move to MLS.

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