Soccer

Cliftonville win the race to sign Warrenpoint's Daniel Hughes

New signing Daniel Hughes with Cliftonville manager Gerard Lyttle at Solitude on Thursday night<br />Picture by Declan Roughan
New signing Daniel Hughes with Cliftonville manager Gerard Lyttle at Solitude on Thursday night
Picture by Declan Roughan
New signing Daniel Hughes with Cliftonville manager Gerard Lyttle at Solitude on Thursday night
Picture by Declan Roughan

HIGHLY-RATED Warrenpoint Town striker Daniel Hughes has signed for Cliftonville on a two and-a-half year deal.

The hotly sought-after 23-year-old signed for the Reds for an undisclosed fee after undergoing a medical at Solitude on Thursday. He will join the Cliftonville ranks when the transfer window opens on New Year’s Day and will be eligible to make his debut in the club's Irish Cup fifth round match against Immaculata on January 8.

Reportedly fending off a last-minute bid from title rivals Linfield, Cliftonville manager Gerard Lyttle revealed the club had been tracking Hughes’ progress for some time.

Lyttle said: “There there’s been talk of Daniel being linked with Cliftonville for a year or two.

“In the last couple of weeks, I spoke to the chairman [Gerard Lawlor] and told him the targets and who I’d like to sign and why. Daniel was very much at the top of that list.

“We’ve been tracking him for a while and I’m delighted to have him. So many clubs have been after him and we’re privileged and honoured to have someone like him come in and hopefully boost us.”

Davy McDaid has scored 15 goals in all outings this season and Hughes’ signing further bolsters Cliftonville’s attacking options heading into the second half of the season, with a five-point gap to make up on league leaders Crusaders.

“I think it’s a massive statement for us, that we’ve done good business and we’ve done it under the radar which is brilliant," Lyttle added. 

"This one was kept quiet and it’s something we’ve been working on the last couple of weeks. To see the boy signing tonight was a joy for us and we're very excited about how we’re going to fit him into what we do.”

Asked whether his signing could be the difference between first and second place, Lyttle said: “We’ve always said the only way we could strengthen is if someone out there's going to be us and Daniel fits into that.

“The players have been superb, but he adds something different to it and I’m really excited about the times ahead. We'll not talk about championships just yet, but he'll hopefully make a difference as to what we're going to achieve.”

He added: “Since I’ve come in, we’ve changed a lot of things, subtly. I’ve slightly changed the style of play and made us harder to beat and he gives us that extra dimension up top. He doesn’t look it, but he’s strong, he’s wiry, he’s good in the air but, technically, he’s fantastic.

“No disrespect to Warrenpoint, but speaking to [their manager] Barry Gray, he lacked the boys feeding him - in here, he’ll get chances alongside Davy or Jay or whoever else plays up there with him.”

Lyttle also confirmed Martin Murray and Johnny McMurray will join Warrenpoint Town on loan when the January transfer window opens and expressed his desire to bring further players to the club.

The 'Point are anchored to the bottom of the Danske Bank Premiership, seven points adrift of nearest rivals Carrick Rangers, and Hughes all but issued a come and get me plea in an interview in Tuesday’s Irish News. Speaking at his unveiling, Hughes, who had been a standout performer in his three years at the Milltown club, expressed his delight at the move.

“Once the chance came to play regular first-time football for a club of Cliftonville’s size, I couldn’t turn it down. I’m sad for Warrenpoint but, when the opportunity came, it was an easy decision.

“I can’t wait to get started training and playing games and hopefully scoring goals, which is what they brought me in to do."