FALMOUTH TOWN have signed an 18 year old AC Milan player.

That might be the first and last time such a statement will be written, but for the Bickland Park side, it is all very real.

Marcello Jones, who lives near Bodmin, spent four years at the Italian giant's academy between the ages of 13 and 17, before returning home to Cornwall last year.

His mother Louise, who runs Lemon Street Gallery in Truro, said: "Milan does not have an under-19 team so the under-18s go straight up to reserve team level, which meant Marcello would be part of a squad of around 45."

.

With the help of Sport England, he is now being rehabilitated in Bath but made his debut for Town at Callington on Saturday, scoring after 28 minutes with a header.

Westgarth substituted him after 53 minutes, as the striker makes a careful return to full fitness.

Louise added: "Falmouth's management have been fantastic - Marcello wanted to carry on for longer but they knew he was tired and they know that injuries occur when fatigue sets in."

By pure coincidence, Louise is half Italian and they lived with her sister in Milan during Marcello's time at the San Siro.

She is also half Scottish and by a strange twist of fate, the last match that her father took an eight-year old Marcello to, was between Celtic and AC Milan.

Westgarth said: "Marcello is coming back from injury and it's nice to be able to give a player of his quality some important game time. He has a great touch, his pedigree is obvious, so we'll give him some help and hopefully he can help us too."

Jones is in the squad for tonight's match at Godolphin, who have won all five of their opening fixtures.

Glenn Squires returns to the squad after missing Saturday's 2-1 win at Callington due to work. Jordan Annear and Ross Pope also missed that game suffering minor injuries.