ACCRINGTON Stanley have signed Huddersfield Town youngster Matt Crooks on loan.

The 20-year-old has joined the Reds until January following a spell on loan at Hartlepool United which only ended earlier this week.

Crooks, a versatile midfielder or forward, played three games for Pools, including coming as a half time substitute in their 3-1 defeat to Stanley at the Store First Stadium on October 21.

He played centre forward on that occasion and he also played 56 minutes on Saturday as Hartlepool lost 1-0 at Southend, with all three of Crooks appearances for the north east club ending in defeat.

The Huddersfield-born youngster is delighted to have joined the Reds and is keen to make a big impression, having seen the move gather pace just a day after saying goodbye to his Hartlepool teammates.

“My loan at Hartlepool finished on Monday and I trained at Huddersfield on Tuesday before getting the call that evening to say that if I wanted to come here I could and I jumped at the chance,” he said.

“I’ve learned a lot in my previous loan spell. It’s not something I’ve really experienced before having just played under 21’s games for Huddersfield and first team matches when I’ve got the chance so I’ve taken a lot from that month and hopefully I can put that to good use here.”

Crooks started his career at Manchester United's academy but he was allowed to leave by the Red Devils, at which point he joined his home town club.

His first senior appearance for Huddersfield came on the opening day of the season, when he played centre back at home to Bournemouth, but he has played most of his football for their development side in midfield and attack.

The move to Stanley re-unites Crooks with Paul Stephenson.

The Reds coach was previously first team coach and development coach at Huddersfield when Lee Clark was in charge.

“Matt is a big, strong forward who can get the ball down and play,” said Stanley's assistant manager Jimmy Bell.

“We hope that he can be an important player for us this season.

“He trained with us on Thursday for the first time and we’re looking forward to having him in the squad for tomorrow’s game with Cambridge United.”

Crooks could make his debut in this weekend’s game and will wear the shirt number 33.

This will be Crooks' fourth loan spell away from Huddersfield, having spent periods at Halifax Town in the Conference North during the 2011/12 season and at Evo-Stik side Radcliffe Borough in 2012/13, before his most recent spell at Victoria Park with Hartlepool.