Last updated 19:44, Thursday, 28 February 2008

WORKINGTON Reds have completed the loan signing of Carlisle United centre-back Dan Kirkup.

The six-foot-four defender joined up with his new teammates last night for training and will fit straight into the squad for Gainsborough trip to Borough Park tomorrow (3pm kick-off).

Kirkup has just returned from a loan spell at Scottish side Clyde and spent some of last season with Southport in the Blue Square Premier.

Turning pro in 2006, the Hexham-born defender captained the Carlisle Utd youth team as far as the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup that year.

This week Reds boss Darren Edmondson said he wanted to keep on-loan full-back Phil McLuckie for the rest of the season.

The youngster - now in his third month with the club - has made a big impression and Edmondson must decide if he is to move to keep him for the rest of the campaign.

Edmondson said: “He’s definitely one we would like to work with, as he’s got a good mentality and plays the game above his age at times.

“If he goes back to Morecambe we’ll wish him well and monitor his progress.”

On the pitch Reds have won just one of their last eight league games and are just three places above the relegation zone.

The club is are confident it will complete necessary ground alterations by the March 31 deadline to enable them to stay in the Blue Square set-up at Borough Park.

Clubs in the North and South divisions had been told to shape-up or ship-out over the state of their grounds.

They have just over a month left to comply with ground grading requirements set out by the Football Association four years ago.

Workington’s list of requirements has been decreasing, but the club has been waiting for a final decision on the future of Borough Park midst Allerdale council’s deal with Tesco.

Chairman Humphrey Dobie said: “There are some small jobs left to do which will certainly be completed by March 31.”