Coventry sign Hawkins

Shelbourne defender Colin Hawkins could make a return to Coventry City, almost ten years after being released by the Coca-Cola Championship club.

The 29-year-old has been a target for eircom League side Derry City as well as Scottish Premier League strugglers Dunfermline Athletic.

But he has spent time at the Ricoh Arena in recent days and could rejoin the club, ten years after being deemed surplus to requirements by then manager Gordon Strachan.

Hawkins had just been released by the Sky Blues at the time of his rise to prominence as part of the Ireland under-20 side which claimed third place in the 1997 World Youth Championships in Malaysia.

Having moved back to Ireland to sign for St Patrick's Athletic, he helped the Richmond Park club to back-to-back league crowns before another stint in England with Doncaster Rovers.

Hawkins returned to Dublin once more in 2001, helping Bohemians to the league crown before joining Shels and lifting the eircom League title for the fourth time in his career in November 2006.

However, Shelbourne's entire championship-winning squad has broken up due to a financial crisis, and Hawkins looks set to become the fourth player to leave Tolka Park for the UK this month, following in the footsteps of Jason Byrne (Cardiff City), Sean Dillon (Dundee United) and Bobby Ryan (Dunfermline).