Midfielder James Bailey joins United
Carlisle United Football Club have today signed former-Crewe, Derby and Barnsley midfielder James Bailey on a short-term deal which keeps him at the club until the end of the current season.Bailey, 28, teamed up with the Blues earlier this week for a short trial period and has impressed with the way he has fitted quickly into the squad environment.
Manager Keith Curle said: “James is a player we have monitored for a while and he's one who has had an excellent grounding in the game.
“He’s a player who can use the football and who will cover a lot of ground and work hard for the team. It was good to be able to get him into the club this week to see that he was in the right frame of mind. He's shown us that there’s a level of determination in him whereby he wants to make a mark again on his return from playing football abroad.
“He adds another set of different skill sets and I think he’s one the fans will take to because he will do everything he can to stake a claim for a regular starting place in the team.”
Bailey signed his first professional deal with Crewe in 2007 and made over 50 appearances at Gresty Road as he cut his teeth in the game. He moved to Derby County in 2010, in a double-deal with team mate John Brayford, for what was reported at the time as a seven-figure fee.
He enjoyed two loan spells with Coventry City during his four-year stay with the Rams and his next permanent move took him to Barnsley in the summer of 2014. He left the Tykes a year later to sample life in the Indian Super League with FC Pune City, and he has most recently been playing in the MLS with Ottawa Fury over in Canada.
This signing is subject to the clearance of all relevant paperwork and to the receipt of international clearance.