Leon McSweeney

Leon McSweeney became Chris Turner`s second signing of the 2009 close season when he joined the club from Stockport County. A right winger who could also be employed at right back he was expected to hold down a position on that flank to provide a nice balance against Andy Monkhouse on the other wing. Things started encouragingly enough, with McSweeney starting each of the first ten games of the 2009/10 season and scoring his first goal for the club in a 3-0 win at Oldham. He lost his place in mid-September and, though he was almost invariably in the matchday squad, he only started seven of the next 30 games and was often left cooling his heels on the subs bench.

A first half injury to Neal Austin at Prenton Park in March 2010 presented the Irishman with a fresh opportunity, and he provided enough attacking impetus from right back to keep his place in the side even though Austin returned in the next game. McSweeney stayed in the first eleven for the rest of the season, and was the only member of the first team squad to feature in every league game of the 2010/11 campaign. He provided some personal highlights including a memorable last minute winner at Plymouth, but almost half of those appearances were from the substitutes` bench as he never quite managed to make a position his own. He did, however, spend enough time on the pitch to make it something of a surprise when he was released in the summer of 2011.