Source: FOOTYMAD
Oxford United take Matt Paterson on American tour
Southend United's unsettled striker has been allowed to join League Two rivals Oxford United as they take part in a pre-season trip to the States. Matt Paterson: Has Luggy at last off loaded him?Lucky Matt Paterson, off to the States with League Two rivals Oxford United, as Blues boss Paul Sturrock continues in his attempts to remove the former Southampton striker from his squad, and CEO Tara Brady in his attempts to keep the wage bill down! He will join the U's for a week's training before the pre-season tour starts next week in New Hampshire with games against Seacoast United youth team and National premier Soccer side Mass United. The tour comes to an end on July 18th against Seacoast's first team who also play in the NSPL where a decision should be made whether they want Matt to hang around or not, would have thought he'd be allowed to go on a frebbie. Paterson has not been given a Shrimpers squad number for the coming season and will obviously miss the early part of Southend's own pre-season, (the States, we've got Scotland!), which opens with a game against Dartford next Friday evening.21-year-old Patters, thrown in with the deal that took then top scorer Lee Barnard to St. Mary's in January 2010, received a two-year deal which ends next year and is supposedly one of the club's higher earners. Never really given a decent chance by Sturrock, who possibily believes Matt is a touch lightweight for the tough enviroment of League Two, there's no doubting his talent and Stockport County fans, where he spent a period on loan at the end of the last campaign, were on the whole supportive of the youngster where he scored three times in ten games, with a couple of strikes helping the Hatters to 2-1 victories over Bury on debut and then Oxford. Paterson told www.echo-news.co.uk when he returned last month: "I've not spoken to anyone at Southend and I'm not sure what's going to happen. As I've already seen during my time at the club anything can happen in football, but I am expecting to report back for pre-season in July. However, at the moment I'm just thinking about enjoying my summer break." One of the 'summer four' who stayed behind it soon became clear that along with Scott Spencer, who mostly spent last season on the subs bench with the Imps, he didn't figure too highly in Luggy's future plans.And unlike the talkative Screech Patters actually scored goals last season, four in six games as a start, or more likely a substitute, and half-a-dozen goals in total over 31 appearances as a Shrimper. Luggy told www.skysports.com last March: "Everybody's got different opinions about strike-forces and which players should play with who. I just feel that Matt's not the type of striker I'm looking to have at this football club. I wish him well."The Paterson SagaLuggy couldn't be clearerwww.southendunited-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/as_patters_stays_a_hatter_matts_not_the_type_of_striker_im_looking_at_i_wish_him_well_655722/index.shtmlThe Paterson Files Personal information Full name Matthew Paterson Date of birth 18 October 1989 (1989-10-18) (age 21) Place of birth Dunfermline, Scotland Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Playing position Striker Club information Current club Southend United Number 9 Youth career 200?-2007 Bournemouth 2007-2008 Southampton Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2008-2010 Southampton 18 (2) 2010- Southend United 27 (6) 2011 → Stockport County (loan) 10 (3) National team 2008 Scotland U19 2 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 April 2011 (UTC).† Appearances (Goals). (Player info supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Paterson)
