BREAKING: Melton's Paul Anderson joins Mansfield Town

The 28-year-old winger left Northampton Town at the end of the 2016/17 season and signed for the Stags earlier today as one of three new signings unveiled by boss Steve Evans.

The former John Ferneley School pupil played his junior football with Melton Foxes, but by the age of 17 had already joined Premier League giants Liverpool from Hull City.

While on loan Anderson helped Swansea City under Roberto Martinez to the League One title in 2007/08 before Nottingham Forest snapped him up the following season on loan.

He signed for Forest prior to the 2009/10 campaign for a fee of £250,000 and helped them reach the Championship play-offs in the next two seasons during which he made 72 appearances.

Anderson left Forest and joined Bristol City for a year, and then moved to Ipswich Town, his third Championship club, the following season.

In Anderson’s second season at Portman Road he fought another play-off campaign, but dropped to League One in 2015/16 wit Bradford City before making the Deadline Day switch to Northampton Town last September.

The 28-year-old scored seven goals in 38 appearances for the Cobblers as they secured a 16th-placed finish in their first season back in League One.

Anderson told the club website: “I said to my agent [previously] that if a League Two club had ‘come in’ for me, I probably wouldn’t have even listened to the offer.

“But the way this club is trying to go, with the way the chairman is pushing things forward, it made me want to be a part of it.

“I’m hoping to be here for the long term as opposed to the short term and hopefully be a part of a good journey,” he added.