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New signing Ben Purkiss has had no shortage of admirers in his brief full-time football career.
On signing for Oxford, Chris Wilder said of the 27 year old: “He’s an athletic footballer who likes to get forward and join in, and he gives us competition at right back, and in a couple of other positions as well."
Meanwhile, last summer, when he was transfer listed alongside fellow Bull Simon Clist, then Lincoln boss Steve Tilson also waxed lyrical about the versatile defender: "Ben is one of those right-backs, who is a lovely footballer, a good defender with a fantastic attitude."
Although primarily a right back he is able to play centrally, a role he occasionally filled at Darlington, and more forward as well as having a set piece ability. His law degree, specialising in Corporate Law, is coupled with French and he lived in France for a while when studying, training with some lower-league French sides. He told Darlington's official site:
"... the standard technically is far superior to what it is in England. I was only there for a year, so didn't improve that much, but that's quite a strong side of my game so I quite enjoyed it. They don't do much heading and things over there."
As well as being called up to the England 'C' team, though not competing after injury, he is also a Futsal international, playing for Great Britain at the World Student Games in 2009.
