STOCKPORT County have added a bit of Tameside talent as they look for promotion from League Two by signing Denton’s Rhys Bennett.
The highly-rated Manchester United defender has moved to Edgeley Park on loan for the rest of the season.
He joins fellow Tamesiders Antoni Sarcevic – who hails from Gee Cross – and Stalybridge’s Callum Camps in manager Dave Challinor’s squad.
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And the 20-year-old, nurtured at Stalybridge Celtic Juniors, has an impressive CV, having guided United’s Under 18s to the FA Youth Cup in 2022 – scoring the opening goal in the Red Devils’ 3-1 win against Nottingham Forest in front of 67,000 fans at Old Trafford.
He has since progressed into the Under-21 squad and made a real impression, earning a call-up to Erik Ten Hag’s first team squad on three occasions this season.
Rhys represented Celtic Juniors from Under-7 to Under-9, playing a year up, before joining the Old Trafford club to feature for their Under-10s.
As well as his new team-mates who hail from the borough, Rhys joins an increasing number of footballers from Tameside looking for success.
Crystal Palace defender Rob Holding, who joined the Eagles from Arsenal over summer, previously attended West Hill in Stalybridge and is a childhood friend of Camps.
Zach Clough, who also attended Audenshaw, made a reported £3 million move from Bolton Wanderers to Nottingham Forest in 2017, before moving to Australian outfit Adelaide United a couple of seasons ago.
Stockport have a recent history of players coming from just over the borough border as winger Andy Welsh, another Hazel Street alumni, came through there before moving on to Sunderland.
Since then, he has gone on to manage Ossett United, Bury AFC and currently Guiseley.
Stockport manager Challinor said: “Rhys is someone we know and who knows us.
“He spent a couple of months with us last season as part of an arrangement we had with Man United to get some younger players into our environment to train.
“It’s fair to say he made a lasting impression on all of the staff not just in terms of his ability, but as a character and personality in being mature and having an understanding of the game.
“When the opportunity came to bring him back in, especially due to our current situation, it was something we were all keen to do and it’s great to have him back with us.”
Their director of football, Simon Wilson, added: “This is a good example of how clubs can work effectively with each other.
“Rhys trained with us last season for a month on work experience, which was part of a wider initiative by Manchester United to give their players some preparation for a loan in senior football.
“The feedback all round from that was excellent, Rhys has kicked on since with United’s first team but is now available for loan and having had that initial exposure to each other it was an easy win for all parties.
“He gives us good depth across defensive positions. The previous time together gives us all a head start and I’m sure Rhys will settle quickly and contribute to our important remaining games this season.”