Northampton Town have signed central defender Chris McCready on a two year contract.

The 27 year old former Tranmere Rovers left Crewe Alexandra at the end of last season, his second spell at Gresty Road.

Prior to joining Tranmere in 2006, McCready had spent his entire professional career at Crewe, joining the club as a schoolboy and graduating through the youth system. At the age of 14 McCready went to the FA national school at Lilleshall where he played with peers including Joe Cole, he also represented England schoolboys through to under 17 level. McCready made over 70 appearances for Crewe, as well as making 4 appearances on loan at Hyde United.

He rejected the offer of a new contract at the end of the 2005/06 season following the club's relegation from the Championship, and joined Tranmere on a one-year contract for 2006/07 after impressing on trial.

McCready established himself as a regular in the Rovers defence, playing in all but four of Tranmere's league games. He re-joined Crewe on a two year contract in June 2007.

"Chris has impressed us during pre-season," said boss Stuart Gray.

"He is a dominant central defender who has handled some quality strikers well during our pre-season games.

"Chris has a good pedigree and I know he will prove a good addition to the squad. He is a good age for a central defender and a player who we know will fit in well in the dressing room here.

"I felt we needed another senior central defender and he will increase both the competition and options we have at the back."

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