THE New Saints have ended their search for a frontman with a loan deal for Wrexham and former Team Bath player Steve Abbott.

Six foot two inches tall Abbott, 26, arrived at the Racecourse from Bath, where he was studying, looking for a second chance in the full-time game after originally coming through the ranks with Wigan Athletic.
Before considering a career in teaching, Abbott also turned out for Leigh RMI, Congleton Town and St Helens Town before spending three seasons with the University side, where 30 goals in 80 appearances helped lift the students to promotion to the Blue Square South and also attracted the attention of several Football League and Blue Square Premier clubs.
Abbott completed a degree in Coach Education and Sports Development at the University and then went on to do a Post Graduate Certificate in Education.
A member of the England Universities team that won the 2006 British University Games with a 100% record, Abbott spent several weeks training with Wrexham last summer and did enough to impress manager Dean Saunders to be rewarded with a contract through to the summer of 2010.
But he found it difficult to break into the first team reckoning last term and Saunders says: “Steve needs to play games, it has been very difficult for the lad, he has never trained full-time before. To start doing the training we do, he has found difficult.
“There are a few in front of Steve here, they are queuing up, and it is better to play first team games elsewhere. I want him to get games that are competitive.”
Photo: Assistant manager Mike Davies with new signing Steve Abbott today.