Phoenix Patterson seals move to Fleetwood from Waterford

ON THE MOVE: Waterford's Phoenix Patterson is moving to Fleetwood Town. Pic: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Waterford’s linkage with Fleetwood Town has produced its first player transfer – with Phoenix Patterson moving to English League One for a six-figure sum.

Last season’s First Division Player of the Year had been in demand before and after the Blues’ quest for promotion ended in the playoff final against UCD he has returned to his homeland.

Former Tottenham Hotspur trainee Patterson, named in the Team of the Season, was a star performer for the Blues, managing 28 goals and 12 assists in just 58 games during his time at the RSC.

Shamrock Rovers and Derry City, the two leading clubs in Ireland, had enquired about the 22-year-old’s availability but Waterford were in a position of strength given the winger had two years remaining on his contract.

Fleetwood owner Andy Pilley had added the Blues to his portfolio of clubs in August, well positioning the Cod Army in the chase for the attacker. He’ll go straight into Scott Brown’s squad from January 1.

Patterson said after the move was completed: “I would like to thank all the fans, from the moment I joined and the one-and-a-half years after that, they were great with me and showed a lot of support for me and the lads on the pitch.

“The fans mean a lot to me; I will always be a Waterford fan and I’ll try and get back over in the summer when we have a break to come and see everyone because the club has been a big part of my career as it helped me become the player I am today – thank you.” 

Chairman Andy Pilley noted Patterson as a stand-out player in the last campaign and felt it would have been unfair to not allow him to move on to develop his potential at a higher level after the Blues failed in their promotion bid.

He said: “I’m just delighted we’ve been able to keep him in the group; We also want to have this pathway that if players are excelling in the Irish league, we want to bring them across to the English Football League and, who knows, if they do well in League One, they may find themselves in the Championship or the Premier League – that is the model and I want to shout that from the rooftops.” 

Pilley also mentioned that this pathway is available for all players over in Ireland and coming to the Blues would open a door to have a chance in the Football League in England: “to all the top players in Ireland, if you want to get to England then Waterford is a great place to play because the common ownership means that, if you are good enough, and if you can deliver at Waterford and help the club to the sporting success we all long for, then you could have an opportunity to move over to England.”