Ian Black signs for English sixth-tier side Chorley

Ian Black in action for Shrewsbury Town in 2016. Picture: Getty Images

The former Hearts and Rangers midfielder, 32, had spells with Shrewsbury Town and Blackpool after leaving Ibrox, and joined Evo-Stik League North side Skelmersdale United earlier this season.

He told The Scotsman in September how he was keen to be based in his wife’s hometown of Preston for the foreseeable future, adding that he wanted to be able to travel from the city to his next club.

Despite Black admitting that he had had a few offers earlier this season ‘at a lower level than what I’d consider’, he appears to have changed his mind and has joined the Magpies, based around 13 miles from Preston.

He said at the start of September that he still felt able to do a job ‘anywhere outside of the English Premier League’, adding: “I’ve been fit all my career, I train hard and have never put on an ounce of weight.

“I have loads of years left, and outside of the EPL, I could do a job at any level in Britain.”

Black made more than 140 appearances for Inverness Caledonian Thistle before joining boyhood heroes Hearts in 2009.

He played over 100 times for the Jambos, scoring four goals, before heading west to join Rangers, where he made 115 appearances and netted eight goals.

He then joined Shrewsbury Town in 2015, and made 59 appearances for Salop over two seasons before a spell with Blackpool in February, playing 13 times before being released at the end of the season.

After leaving Blackpool he had been training with Salford City but didn’t see a future with the club famed for being part-owned by former Manchester United players Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.

Black’s first game for Chorley, who currently lie sixth in the National League North, came at the weekend when he came on as a second half substitute in a 1-0 loss away to Spennymoor Town.