Del Boy signs for City after leaving Mansfield under a cloud

Last updated : 12 March 2005 By Gary Hutchinson
A fresh dimension to Citys blunted attack - Asamoah
The pacy 23 yeard old will go straight into the squad for Saturdays trip to Southend. Asamoah has a reputation as a quick player with lots of flair, but has failed to sufficiently impress at Northampton or Mansfield. He signed for the Stags in the summer despite scoring 10 times for the Cobblers last season. However his Mansfield career has been stacked with controversy.

1. Asamoah is sent off in a league tie with Northampton for two bookable offences, apparently both for diving! Carlton Palmer defends his striker saying "He didn't go down over the first challenge. If he'd wanted to dive he'd done it then"

2. Asamoah is sent off again in an FA Cup tie with Colchester for a dreadful two footed lunge late in the game. Previously he'd been the main tormentor of Colchester with a series of jinxing runs and inviting crosses.

3. *RUMOUR* Asamoah is told he will not play for Mansfield again after a bust up with unpopular caretaker manager Carlton Palmer. Palmer cites 'serious breach of club discipline' as the cause for Asamoahs imminent departure but refuses to release details as he doesn't want to 'air our dirty linen in public'. The player remains silent but the fans claim the 'serious breach' was in fact a refusal to drive all the way to Mansfield from his Northampton home only to catch the team bus back to neighbouring Rushden.

Asamoah was being chased by Oxford and Boston, but Steve Evans ruled out a move upon hearing Lincoln were interested as he believes his side cannot compete with Lincoln in terms of wages (Paul Gascoigne couldn't have been cheap Steve).

Asamoahs arrival spells bad news for a faltering Francis Green. The striker hasn't been in his best form and Asamoahs pace will suit Citys game plan of getting quick players behind the defence to a tee. No defence relishes the prospect of a quick and pacy player to contend with, and City will now be able to hit teams with both Asamoah and the in form cult hero of Sincil Bank Simon Yeo.