|
|
Gary Bennent who notched up 36 goals last term
|
League Champions Release 7
Times are changing at Ridgeons League Premier Division champions AFC Sudbury with seven players, including some stalwarts of the club’s recent league and FA Vase successes, leaving the Kingmarsh Stadium.
Arguably the departure of prolific striker Gary Bennett (pictured) will come as the biggest surprise to supporters.
The former Colchester and Dagenham & Redbridge man joined the club in the summer of 1999 and the last two seasons has plundered forty and thirty-six goals respectively.
Defender Chris Tracey is another whose departure will come as something of a shock. The stalwart former skipper was awarded a testimonial in 2002 after ten years loyal service to both Sudbury Town and the merged AFC clubs.
Former Crewe and Cambridge United keeper Greygoose has only been with Sudbury for a couple of years but is still regarded as being one of the best in the league. However, he turns 41 in December and manager Gary Harvey wanted a younger number one.
Sudbury’s second choice ‘keeper Ben Nower is also amongst those released, as is former Diss Town defender Chris Howlett, enigmatic striker Sam Banya and another stalwart in midfielder Lee Norfolk, who has been with the club since the merger in 1999.
They were all spoken to by either Harvey or assistant-manager Mike Cheetham before last weekend and informed of the club's intentions towards them.
The following players have been signed for next season, goalkeeper Paul Rutherford and midfielder John Pollard both from Heybridge Swifts, striker Tom English from Harwich & Parkeston and midfielder Mark Roper from Cambridge City.
Further negotiations are ongoing with others players.
With thanks to nonleaguedaily.com
|
|
|
Strike duo head for the coast Wroxham's last seasons strike force of Russell Stock and Gary McGee have both signed two year deals at Lowestoft Town.
Stock has topped the club's goalscoring charts for the past few seasons and was the leading scorer again last year with 34 goals, whilst McGee ran him close with 33.
Meanwhile new manager Damian Hilton has been working hard building his squad for next season and details of those players who are staying with the club, together with the new signings that he has made will be announced early next week.
Jockeys sign Histon Reserves Captain
Newmarket Town have made Histon Reserves captain Andy Mee their first signing of the summer. Mee, who has captained Histon Reserves for many seasons joins the Jockeys after scoring in this season Ridgeons cup final
|
Ex Sudbury striker, Sam Banya
|
Needham strengthen for next season
Ridgeons League Premier Division newcomers Needham Market have signed a number of new players and have placed seven of last season’s promotion-winning squad on contract.
From last season’s squad Stuart Jopling, Simon Head, Leighton Miller, Simon Mann, Pip Boyland, Steve Townes and Jermaine Harewood have agreed to stay.
In addition a number of quality signings have been made and they include Matty Clements and Danny White from Diss Town, Nathan Munson from Harwich & Parkeston and striker Sam Banya from AFC Sudbury.
Clements is a sriker who signed for King's Lynn originally on loan from Cambridge United in December 2001 and then made the move permanent in February 2002.
He began his career as a trainee at West Ham United and was offered a professional contract but declined, opting instead to pursue a career in athletics as he was being touted as a future world-beater over the 110m hurdles. Injury prevented this promise from being fulfilled so he turned his attentions back to football.
He transferred to hometown club Cambridge City in May 2002 and then joined Diss last summer.
White is an attacking midfielder who was originally a trainee with Cambridge United.
He was one of the mainstays in Diss's successful youth side and made his first-team debut during 2000/01.
Goalkeeper Munson joined Harwich from Stanway Rovers last summer. He had been at Stanway since arriving from Billericay Town in July 1997. He has previous experience at both Wivenhoe Town and Colchester United.
Banya (pictured) is perhaps the best known of Needham Market’s new signings, having been a prolific goalscorer in the Ridgeons League for the last few seasons.
He re-joined AFC Sudbury from Maldon Town in August 2002 after originally agreeing to sign for Ryman Premier side Braintree Town a month earlier from Sudbury.
Felixstowe, Diss Town, Bedford Town and Kettering Town had the services of Banya before he originally signed for Sudbury at the start of the 2001/02 season.
His goalscoring attracted much local media interest, especially during a run of ten consecutive scoring matches, setting a new club record.
He has won three Ridgeons League championships with Sudbury and appeared in two FA Vase Finals, although he often found himself given a substitutes role.
|
|
|
Any Ridgeons news you feel should be added? Please Email me on: mildenhall_lad@hotmail.com
|
|
