Defender Tony Kane joined United on an initial loan period in February 2009 before signing a permanent deal with the club in May that year.

Belfast-born Kane began his career with Premier League side Blackburn Rovers, joining their youth academy as a 17 year old in November 2004.

He went on to be a part of the side that won the Premier Academy League in 2004/05 and was quickly moved up to the Reserve team after his impressive performances at youth level.

After appearing regularly for the Rovers reserves over the next season, he signed a two year contract in the summer of 2006 and was then loaned out to League Two side Stockport County for a month in November 2006 in order to gain first team experience.

He went out on another loan spell in January 2007 when he joined Belgian Jupiler League side Cercle Brugge until the end of the season. He played 11 times for the Green and Blacks before returning to England.

The following season saw Kane spend most of the season in the Reserve side at Rovers and the start of the 2008/09 campaign another short loan spell at Stockport County.

In February 2009, Kane was signed up on loan until the end of the season by United and went on to make 9 appearances before the end of the campaign, slotting in well and putting in some solid performances.

It was those performances while on-loan that did enough to convince Abbott to sign the right-back on a two-year permanent deal. He spent a month on-loan at Darlington in September 2009.

He has represented both Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland at youth international level. He played for Northern Ireland at U17 and U18 level before switching to Republic of Ireland at U21, playing five games for them.

He then decided to go back to the Northern Ireland setup, earning five caps at U21 level for them as well as a call-up to the senior squad.

Under contract until the summer of 2011.

Tony is sponsored by George Cannon.

For more details on our Player and Coaching Staff sponsors for the 2010/11 season, click here.