Patterson joins Linfield on loan

Rory Patterson is happy to join Linfield on a one-year loan deal from Plymouth Argyle

Striker Rory Patterson has joined Linfield on a one-year loan deal from Plymouth Argyle.

The Northern Ireland international previously played for Coleraine in the Irish Premiership, topping the scoring charts and collecting player of the year accolades before going to England.

He recently went on trial with Hearts but was not offered a contract.

Patterson has been in dispute with Plymouth over the deferral of wages and did not return for pre-season training.

He signed a pre-contract agreement with Glentoran while playing for Coleraine but moved to Plymouth in June last year before making an appearance for the East Belfast club.

The 26-year-old scored 41 goals during his season with the Bannsiders and converted a penalty while playing for Northern Ireland against Morocco in a friendly last year.

Patterson's arrival may be a timely one for the Blues as Peter Thompson could face a spell on the sidelines with a health problem and Gary Browne has also undergone surgery.

Jeffrey has indicated that he may be interested in securing a permanent move for Patterson if he performs well.

Meanwhile Patterson revealed that Glentoran had been offered his services but he was unable to agree financial terms with the East Belfast club.

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Linfield face daunting BATE test

Venue: Windsor ParkDate: 13 JulyKick-off: 1945 BSTCoverage: Live online commentary on BBC Sport NI websiteLinfield face highly-rated Belarus side BATE Borisov in Wednesday's Champions League second qualifying round first leg at Windsor Park

Linfield will face a daunting task in Wednesday's Champions League second qualifying round first leg against Belarus side FC BATE at Windsor Park.

BATE qualified for the group stages of the Champions League three seasons ago and have also made the Europa League group stages over the past two years.

Keeper Alan Blayney should be fit for Linfield but Gary Browne, Michael Gault and Damien Curran are all ruled out.

BATE's squad includes the highly-rated Pavel Neyhaychyk.

Neyhaychyk played for the Belarus Under-21 side that recently finished third at the European Championship finals and his impressive form has helped BATE to forge an eight-point lead at the top of their domestic league.

Uefa rate BATE, or BATE Borisov to give them their full title, as the best side involved in the second qualifying round stage.

In recent seasons, the current Belarus champions have drawn at home and away against Italian giants Juventus and also registered a win over Premier League side Everton.

"They are a very good side," agrees Linfield manager David Jeffrey.

"Our friends at Rangers have sent us across three DVDs and we've been able to source two more from our own contacts.

"We have copious amounts of notes of who can do what and how they can play.

"They are a formidible side but I take heart from several seasons when we have done fantastically well in Europe - particuarly against Rosenberg and Dynamo Zagreb.

"It will have to be something close to those performances to come out with any sort of good result."

Summer signings Albert Watson and Daryl Fordyce are in line to make their competitive debuts for Linfield.

Blayney looks likely to recover from a groin injury to start but Browne, Gault and Curran are missing because of injury.

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