Lancaster City signs former Morecambe goalkeeper

Lancaster City have announced their third signing of the summer - former Morecambe goalkeeper Andre Mendes.

Mendes has joined the Dollies after recently being released by the Shrimps following the expiration of his deal at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium. 

The 20 year old was on loan at both Colne and fellow NPL Premier Division side Ashton United last season. 

Mendes will join Lancaster City’s squad which has recently returned to training as the start of the 2023/24 season gets closer.

Their Northern Premier League Premier Division campaign will begin on Saturday August 12, with the league set to announce fixtures later this month, but the Dollies have a series of pre-season games before they begin their competitive matches.

City have already confirmed two other new signings this summer. Defenders Matty Clarke and Charlie Barnes have joined after leaving Workington AFC – who were promoted to the NPL Premier Division last season - and Annan Athletic respectively.

They, along with the vast majority of players from last season who have signed on for the upcoming campaign, will get their first run out in two months this week.

In a recent change to the club’s calendar, Mark Fell’s men will travel to the J Robs Ground Maintenance Stadium to start their pre-season fixtures. They will take on Kendal Town, who finished 12th in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division last season, the ninth tier of English football, at 7.30pm on Tuesday (July 4).

Kendal will be without striker Tom Kilifin, who scored 33 goals in 44 games for them last season – the most in the league - and who previously played for Lancaster City. He signed for fellow NWCFL Premier Division side Bury earlier this summer.

This is a change to Lancaster’s originally planned friendly on Tuesday away to Slyne with Hest, which has now been cancelled.

The Dollies will then play their first home pre-season game at The Giant Axe on Saturday (July 8) at 3pm against Altrincham, who finished 17th in the National League in the 2022/23 season.

That’s the first of three consecutive friendlies in Lancaster as Bolton Wanderers B make a visit to LA1 on July 12, a game which could see two of the Dollies’ ex loanees last season make a return to The Giant Axe. Lamine Toure signed for Lancaster on a short term loan deal in late November 2022 and made three appearances, all at The Giant Axe, while midfielder Matthew Tweedley played 15 times for City after arriving in February.

Three days later, Burnley Under 23s will travel to Lancaster in a friendly that could once again see a familiar face return to The Giant Axe. Goalkeeper Sam Waller joined the Dollies on loan from Burnley in October and what followed was a very successful loan spell, capped off by him being named chairman’s Player of the Year.

Holker Old Boys will host Lancaster on July 22 at 1pm at Rakesmoor Lane in Barrow-in-Furness. They finished sixth in the North West Counties League Division One in 2022/23.

Pat Allington and Jamie Mellen were signed by Lancaster last season from Holker, and the former made a return to the club on loan at the end of the campaign.

Lancaster City’s final home pre-season game is against Fleetwood Town Development on August 1 at 7pm. The Dollies will then round off their pre-season schedule at the home of Clitheroe – the EcoGiants Stadium – on August 5 at 3pm. They compete in the level below Lancaster – the NPL Division One West – in which they finished fourth last season. They were unsuccessful in their playoff campaign, losing 2-0 to eventual playoff winners Workington in the semi final.

If you’d like to see Lancaster City in action at The Giant Axe this pre-season, adult tickets are priced at £7, concessions at £5, youth (12-17) and students at £3 and under 12s go free.

One player who will not feature for Lancaster in pre-season or beyond is Brad Carsley, who joined Barnoldswick Town on Sunday (July 2).

Carsley has had two stints at Lancaster, the first coming between 2018 and 2020, the second starting last November.

He made 11 appearances for the Dollies last season, scoring one goal.