Daley deal on the table

• Tivoli Gardens midfielder set for Preston move
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Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

It now appears likely that Reggae Boy midfielder Keammar "Dada" Daley will ply his trade in England next season after it was confirmed yesterday by Tivoli Gardens Football Club president, Edward Seaga, that the 23-year-old has been offered a contract by English League One club Preston North End.

The transfer deal is yet to be finalised, but according Seaga, is at an advanced stage, and would see Daley joining the ranks of the Deepdale, Lancashire club following a two-week trial stint in which he played two matches and scored a goal and won the hearts of a number of Preston's fans.

"The general response that I am getting from the agents is that the Prestons liked him and they have decided that they want to sign him," said Seaga.

"I am yet to receive the documents relating to the proposed signing, but I am expecting to do so either today (yesterday) or tomorrow (today).

"But it sounds good, and I am really happy for Keammar, who like forward Navion Boyd, who recently left for a four-week trial stint in Finland, will get a chance to play club football at a higher level," he added.

Daley, who last season guided Tivoli Gardens to the Digicel Premier League and knockout double, was a standout for Jamaica during the recent CONCACAF Gold Cup, and according to Seaga, it was after these performances that the former Meadhaven United youth player was able to secure the trial.

Given a start

He then impressed Preston's coaching staff, including manager Phil Brown, and was given a start in the club's next practice against neighbours, Morecambe, in which he scored in the opening 30 minutes to help his team to a 3-0 win.

"Daley stars in North End win," screamed a headline in the Lancashire Evening Post after the game.

"It (Daley's goal) delighted North End's large and noisy travelling contingent, who showed their appreciation by chanting 'Phil, sign him up'!" the paper reported.

"It was the best of the trial players looking to impress PNE boss Phil Brown, Jamaican forward Keammar Daley, who put the visitors ahead," added another newspaper, The Visitor.

"Daley was too much for Morecambe's defence on a couple of occasions in the first half, and he was at the heart of PNE's best attacks."

Second half

Daley then played the second half of Preston's next match against English Premier League outfit Wigan Athletic, and despite "showing some good touches on the left" according to the club's website, www.pnefc.net, he was unable to prevent his team from going down 3-1.

"A total of three clubs had expressed interest in signing him, including one from Turkey, and another European country. However, at the time his agents believed Preston offered the best opportunity, and again it is good to see that something is materialising," said Seaga.

Preston, the former club of sidelined Reggae Boyz, Claude Davis, is scheduled to play their final pre-season warm-up match today, and will open their League One campaign on Saturday at home against Colchester United.

Daley, who was an integral member of Jamaica's Pan American Games silver medal winning team in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, has so far represented Jamaica in eleven internationals with two goals to his credit.