Stirling Joins Peterborough

29th June 2006

A player who Keith Alexander deemed was not good enough to play for Lincoln City, has joined Alexander's Peterborough United.

Utility player Jude Stirling was one of several players released by Alexander just days before Alexander quit Lincoln City in May.

Alexander, speaking of Stirling's signing, said: "I know a lot about him. He is a utility player, he is the type of player who will improve the Peterborough United squad. He was with me at the end of last season at Lincoln."

Stirling's transfer from Oxford United to Lincoln City in January 2006 was conducted very quickly. Oxford only notified other clubs of Stirling's availability on January 17th and he was still scheduled to play in Oxford's reserve match against Barnet on January 18th. Instead, on that date, he turned out for Lincoln City's reserve for a trial.

His performance against Doncaster Rovers' reserves, a match that Lincoln won 3-1, obviously reaffirmed Alexander's belief in Stirling. On January 19th, Stirling agreed to join Lincoln until the end of the 2005/06 season.

Stirling represented London County Schools as a youngster, which earnt him a place at Wimbledon but he later left to join Luton on YTS terms. It was Luton who converted him from a striker to a defender - he can play at either fullback or central defence. He also has the ability to launch a tremendously long throw-in.

Having made 13 appearances for Luton, he left to join Stevenage Borough on loan in February 2002. He later signed permanently for Stevenage, where he stayed for almost a year before heading further into the non-league divisions with St. Albans first, and then Dover Athletic.

Conference club Tamworth gave Stirling the opportunity to play at a higher level, and he made 4 appearances between March 2005 and May 2005. During the summer of 2005, he impressed while on trial at Oxford United, who signed him on non-contract terms. Ironically, he made his Oxford debut at Sincil Bank, when he came on as an 80th minute substitute in Oxford's 2-1 defeat to Lincoln.

Despite starting nine games plus a further five substitute appearances for Oxford, they decided to allow him to join Lincoln. While at Lincoln, he made just six substitute appearances for The Imps but Stirling managed to become a firm fans' favourite at Sincil Bank.

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