Edinburgh makes his mark as Crystal Palace striker Keshi Anderson signs Cobblers loan deal

New boss Justin Edinburgh has wasted little time in putting his stamp on pepping up the Cobblers squad by signing Crystal Palace striker Keshi Anderson on loan until the end of the season.
New Cobblers loan signing Keshi AndersonNew Cobblers loan signing Keshi Anderson
New Cobblers loan signing Keshi Anderson

The 21-year-old spent the first half of this season on loan at Town’s Sky Bet League One rivals Bolton Wanderers, but he struggled to nail down a regular first team place at the Macron Stadium.

Earlier this week Trotters decided to cut short their season-long deal for the pacy frontman, and the Cobblers have moved quickly to snap up a player who is highly rated by his parent club.

“Keshi is a lively, mobile forward who is full of energy and who will complement the strikers already here,” said Edinburgh, who only officially took charge as Cobblers boss on Monday.

“I felt we needed a striker who could stretch defences and worry them with speed and movement, and Keshi can do that.

“He has already had some experience of league one with both Bolton and Doncaster, and I know he is highly rated by Crystal Palace who believe he has a big future in the game.

“Competition for places meant he perhaps didn’t play as often as he may have wished at Bolton, but we have monitored him closely and we are sure he can come in and help us.

“He has a lot of pace and he is a clever footballer, he has knowledge beyond his age and experience and he will do a good job for us.”

In all, Anderson made four starts and six substitute appearances for Phil Parkinson’s side, scoring once on his debut against Southend United.

He was on the bench for Bolton’s 1-0 win against the Cobblers at Sixfields in November, but didn’t get on.

Luton-born Anderson was enjoying a more successful loan spell in league one last season, where he scored three times in six starts and three substitute appearances for Doncaster Rovers, before serious injury curtailed his stay in south Yorkshire, the player suffering a dislocated ankle which kept him sidelined for nine months.

The striker made his name as a prolific teenage striker at non-League level, scoring 32 times in just 53 matches for Barton Rovers in the Southern League.

His form led to him being given a trial by Championship side Brentford, and in a reserve match against Palace he scored a six-minute hat-trick.

That led to Palace boss Alan Pardew signing the player in 2015, and although he has been involved with match day squads for the Premier League side, he has yet to play a first-team game for the Eagles.