Irish eyes are smiling on ex-Latics ace

BACK IN THE OLD ROUTINE . . . Matthew Tipton celebrates a goal for Dundalk.

Tipton fully committed to Portadown opportunity
MATTHEW Tipton isn't going about his upcoming move to Portadown in half-hearted fashion.

The former Athletic striker, now 30, is about to swap his Chadderton home for a lock, stock and barrel move to Comber on the outskirts of Belfast to take up a two-and-a-half year deal with the IFA Premiership club.

It will be the first time the Bangor-born forward has lived outside Oldham since he first arrived at Boundary Park at 16.

The Northern Ireland move — Tipton will be accompanied by his wife Becci and two young sons, George and James — was seen as too good an opportunity to turn down given the rarity of such lengthy contracts in the modern-day game.

"I knew Portadown were coming to look at me in a game against Shamrock Rovers which was shown live on television, and I managed to get a hat-trick in a 5-1 win," said Tipton, referring to a spell this season in the Republic of Ireland with Dundalk.

"I was offered a deal by Portadown after that and Dundalk also offered me a one-year deal.

"But with the extra security and with David Miskelly, my best mate from my time at Oldham, being there it was a straightforward decision."

Tipton has embarked on quite a tour of the North-West since departing Boundary Park after five years and 112 appearances in 2002.

His most successful spell was the first of three at Macclesfield, where he bagged 41 goals in 131 appearances.

A brief stint at Mansfield five years ago was followed by stays at Bury, Hyde United and Droylsden, plus another pair of spells with the Silkmen.

After leaving Moss Rose at the end of last season, Tipton had an unsuccessful trial at Bradford City before taking his chance to impress at Dundalk in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland.

And after scoring seven goals in 14 games, including that Shamrock treble, he is now looking forward to the next challenge.

"As a family it is something we are really looking forward to," said Tipton, who will move into a home across the road from former Athletic goalkeeper Miskelly.

""It is a big move, but also a new challenge. Portadown are seventh at the moment and getting into the top six for when the league splits into two at the end of February is the aim.

"In terms of players at Portadown people may know of, Kevin Braniff is a striker who has attracted attention from English clubs including Oldham, Wes Boyle is a former Leeds apprentice and Henry McStay spent time with Morecambe.

"My registration goes through officially at midnight on January 1, 2011 — and I am working hard to be ready to play that same day."

When Matthew Tipton isn't going about performing his duties in the opposition penalty area, he is set to devote energies into building up a youth system at Portadown.



A number of clubs are waking up to Northern Ireland as the home of untapped talent.

Athletic are enjoying the fruits of a relationship with Linfield which has seen a number of young players moving across the Irish Sea, Bolton have established a link with Ballymena and Liverpool recently decided to go it alone in setting up their own academy in the North.

Tipton said: "I went to the board with the original idea.

“I have got my UEFA 'B' coaching license and am looking to get into the coaching side.

"Hopefully we will get into the schools and run football in the community schemes, building towards a centre of excellence and then an academy under the Portadown banner.

"At the moment we are already in talks with one Premier League side that I know over a possible link-up."