YORK City have signed Southport left-back Alex Whittle.

The 23-year-old defender has put pen to paper on a one-year deal with the option of a further 12 months at Bootham Crescent.

Whittle began his career with Liverpool at the age of six but, after spending 11 years with the Merseyside club, he was released in 2011 and went on to join the Glenn Hoddle Academy in Spain and the Nike Football Academy for the 2011/12 campaign.

During this time, he featured as a trialist for Brighton, Hearts and then Dunfermline, where he signed a three-year deal in 2012.

He was converted from a winger into a left back by the Pars and made 99 appearances for the East End Park outfit before departing last summer.

A trial followed with Hartlepool but Whittle went on to sign for National League North outfit AFC Fylde, whom he scored for in the FA Cup against Millwall last season.

Following a short spell with the Lancashire outfit, Whittle joined National League outfit Southport in March and made seven appearances under former City striker Andy Bishop.