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Greenacre signs A-League deal

Image: Greenacre: Signs for Phoenix

Tranmere striker Chris Greenacre has signed for Wellington Phoenix of the Australian A-League.

Rovers striker joins New Zealand based Wellington Phoenix

Tranmere striker Chris Greenacre has signed for Wellington Phoenix of the Australian A-League. The 31-year-old will replace last year's Golden Boot winner Shane Smeltz who has departed to Gold Coast United. The former Manchester City, Stoke and Mansfield Town forward has signed a two-year deal from the League One club, where he has been top scorer in three of the last four seasons. Greenacre insists that he didn't think twice about signing for the Phoenix as he now looks to prepare himself for the start of the new A-League season beginning in August. "I can't wait," he said. "It wasn't a tough decision at all, certainly not from a football perspective. "The more I learned about the club and about Wellington from Tony (Pignata, Phoenix chief executive) the more it appealed.

Ugly goals

"I'm not so much a target man as the sort of player who can hold the ball up, score what some people might call the 'ugly' goals, I guess - get in and around the box and on the posts and scramble them in. "I'm not the sort of player who is going to take the ball on halfway, beat five guys then curl the ball past the keeper. "It's more about using my knowledge and experience to get into good scoring positions and to be clinical in finishing." The Phoenix finished sixth last season just two points off the play-off places and Pignata is confident their new capture can make the difference this time around. "We've had tremendous feedback from a lot of people that we've spoken to about Chris, from coaches and managers to his fellow players," he revealed. "His qualities as a professional are second to none, and that was clear to Ricki (Herbert, Phoenix coach) and me the first 10 minutes of meeting him. "We're very excited about getting him here to join the Phoenix. "Chris has a proven pedigree as a striker and we're certain he will fit in very well at the Phoenix."

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