Gary Brabin has returned to his previous club Southport to sign goalkeeper Steven Drench on loan until the New Year. It is the second time Brabin has signed the 22-year-old, having signed him from Morecambe in June when he was still manager of Southport.

Drench agreed terms with Brabin earlier today and drove south to put pen to paper this evening. The loan is to 1st January inclusive, and he will provide competition for Danny Potter.

Drench's career began at Blackburn, where he was capped for England at Schoolboy and Under-17 level. He enjoyed a successful loan spell with local side Morecambe in 2005, which was extended to the end of that season as he became first choice keeper, and the move was made permanent when he was released by Blackburn at the end of the season.

He was in fantastic form the following season as Morecambe competed for promotion from the Conference and he scooped a host of awards, including Supporters Player of the Season, but unfortunately missed out on Morecambe's play-off final win at Wembley after dislocating a shoulder in the semi-final against York City.

He spent much of last season on the bench due to the form of loan keeper Joe Lewis and joined Conference North side Southport in January, spending the rest of the season there and taking part in their play-off campaign under Brabin, which ended in a penalty shoot-out defeat at semi-final stage.

Brabin moved to sign Drench permanently on a one-year deal at the end of the season, saying, "His attitude is fantastic and although I was only with him for seven or eight weeks at the end of the season I found him a pleasure to work with.

"He's first on the training ground and the last to leave - I think his signing proves we're not just getting anybody because his ability is above this league."

However, following Brabin's departure to Cambridge United, Liam Watson's appointment as Southport's new manager and their decision to go part-time, Watson put Drench on the transfer list, saying, "It's a shame Steve Drench is moving on but, quite understandably, he wants full-time football and, with the way things are now at Southport, that's something we can't offer him."

The Manchester-born keeper, who turns 23 next month, had a brief trial at Stevenage before signing for United on loan this evening.

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