Midfielder Patching signs permanent Coleraine deal

Midfielder Will Patching has signed a permanent two-and-a-half-year contract with Coleraine.

The 27-year-old was on loan at the Showgrounds from Carlisle United and has now made the switch permanent.

Patching, who previously played for Notts County, Derry City and Dundalk, has scored six goals in 25 appearances for the Bannsiders.

Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins said Patching was an "exceptional" and "very elegant" player.

"What people maybe wouldn't see is his desire to win and how much not winning upsets him," Higgins said.

"I think when we took the job here, he was very quickly a player that we identified that we would like to build a team around."

Higgins added that plans to make the switch permanent had "been in the pipeline for quite a while".

"It's been in the pipeline for quite a while and it's clear how much we rate him and how much we value him as a footballer.

"I think now that this is done permanently, we'll see him kick on again and we're delighted that he's going to be a major part of our future."

Elsewhere, Cliftonville have announced the loan signing of versatile defender Joseph Toole from Fleetwood Town.

The Reds also confirmed that Thomas Lavery has been recalled from his loan by Sunderland after scoring twice in his 19 appearances for the north Belfast club.