Category: First Team News

ILESANMI JOINS DOVER

Manager Chris Kinnear’s summer overhaul has continued with the signing of left-back Femi Ilesanmi on a one-year deal.

The 26-year-old made 45 appearances for fellow National League side Boreham Wood last season.

He joined Wood ahead of the 2016/17 season after playing 70 times for then League Two side York City.

The 6ft 1in Ilesanmi began his career at AFC Wimbledon before joining Queens Park Rangers.

The Southwark-born defender then spent a brief spell in Kent with Ryman League side Ashford Town before signing for Dagenham & Redbridge in 2010.

In a four-year spell with the Daggers, Ilesanmi, who played in Nigeria’s in-house friendly at Barnet last April, made 133 appearances in League Two and cup competitions.

He becomes Dover’s seventh new summer signing following the arrival of Tobi Sho-Silva, Connor Essam, Manny Parry, Kane Richards, Mitch Brundle and Jamie Allen.

Welcome to Crabble Femi!!

 

GRAND DAY PLANNED AT CRABBLE

LEBERL DELIGHTED WITH SHO-SILVA SIGNING

Assistant manager Jake Leberl is confident new signing Tobi Sho-Silva will have a bright future at Dover after the former Bromley striker put pen-to-paper on Saturday.

The 22-year old signed a two-year deal to become Dover’s sixth new signing so far this summer.

Sho-Silva scored 11 goals in 38 National League appearances last season.

Leberl is delighted the former Charlton youngster will now be calling Crabble home for the next two seasons.

He said: “We believe that how Tobi finished last season in this league that he can push on and develop into a real asset with the attributes he has.

“He did very well for Bromley last season showed he has plenty of potential.

“We are really excited to have signed him and are very much looking forward to working with him.”

Sho-Silva joins fellow new arrivals Connor Essam, Manny Parry, Kane Richards, Mitch Brundle and Jamie Allen at Crabble.

KINNEAR SWOOPS FOR THREE

BREAKING: Toby Sho-Silva signs

Striker Toby Sho-Silva put pen to paper this afternoon as Chris Kinnear continues with shaping his squad for the new season.

The 22 year old has signed a 2 year deal.

This is breaking news, more details to follow.

 

ESSAM SIGNS ON

Dover Athletic are delighted to confirm the signing of Connor Essam on a two-year deal.

The Kent-born central defender played 15 games, scoring once, while on loan at Crabble from fellow National League club Eastleigh last season.

Essam, 24, who captained Dover during his first spell with the club in the 2014-15 campaign, signed for the Hampshire side last summer after joining them from then League Two Leyton Orient.

He played 42 games for Whites prior to joining the East Londoners in July 2015 where he made 26 appearances in before re-joining Dover on loan, making nine appearances for boss Chris Kinnear’s side.

Essam has previously had spells at Dartford, Crawley and Luton after starting his career as a trainee at Gillingham.

Welcome back Connor!

Essam is the fifth new signing this summer following the arrival of Manny Parry, Kane Richards, Mitch Brundle and Jamie Allen.

PARRY PUTS PEN TO PAPER

Boss Chris Kinnear continues to sculpt his new look squad with the addition of central defender Manny Parry.

The 23-year-old played 23 times for Braintree Town last season, including in Dover’s 2-1 win in Essex in April.

The 6ft 4in Parry, who joined the Iron from Margate last November, arrives at Crabble on a one-year deal.

Parry started his career in the youth ranks at Millwall before moving on to Stoke City in 2011.

He later spent time on loan at Conference clubs Maidenhead United, Nuneaton Town, Weston-super-Mare and Worcester City before joining Grays Athletic.

Parry then moved to Maidstone United where he made 46 league and cup appearances during the Stones 2015/16 National League South promotion-winning campaign.

He was released in June 2016 and stayed in Kent with Margate.

Parry joins fellow new arrivals Kane Richards, Mitch Brundle and Jamie Allen at Crabble.

Welcome Manny!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEET KANE RICHARDS

See what striker Kane Richards had to say in his exclusive first video interview just minutes after signing for Dover Athletic at Crabble on Sunday.

 

DOVER SIGN RICHARDS AS REBUILD CONTINUES

Manager Chris Kinnear’s summer rebuild has continued with the signing of former Chester FC striker Kane Richards.

The 22-year-old arrives on a one-year deal a day after former Gateshead man Mitch Brundle put pen-to-paper on Sunday.

The pair join fellow new arrival, former Southport striker Jamie Allen, in making the move to Crabble.

Richards, who can also play on the wing, came through the ranks at his home-town club Derby County and signed a one-year professional deal before he was released in January 2013.

He then joined Ilkeston before signing for Chester in December 2014.

In that time, Richards made 69 appearances for the Blues, including 39 in the National League last season.

He scored eight times during his final season with Chester, three of those came in consecutive games.

Welcome to Crabble Kane!!

 

WHITES SIGN BRUNDLE

Dover Athletic are delighted to announce the signing of former Gateshead utility man Mitch Brundle on a two-year deal.

The 22-year old Londoner, who can play in midfield and at full-back, made 34 National League appearances for the Heed last season, including both games against Whites, scoring twice.

He becomes boss Chris Kinnear’s third summer signing following goalkeeper Mitch Walker’s decision to stay at Crabble and forward Jamie Allen’s arrival from Southport.

Brundle joined Gateshead from Braintree Town last summer after making 77 appearances for the Essex club.

He was a member of Braintree side that finished third in the National League before losing to Grimsby in the play-off semi-finals in the 2015/16 season.

Brundle started his career in the youth ranks at Yeovil Town before joining Bristol City.

While at City, he made seven Football League appearances while out on loan at Cheltenham Town in the 2013/14 season.

Dover assistant manager Jake Leberl said: “Mitch is someone with plenty of versatility who can play in a number of positions, so we are delighted to get him.

“He has plenty of experience at this level for someone so young as himself but he also has the potential to develop even further.”

Welcome to Crabble Mitch!!

NEW KITS UNVEILED

Dover Athletic are delighted to unveil their three new playing kits for the 2017/18 season.

Manufactured by Nike, all three pay tribute to the club’s location with the white home shirt representing the cliffs, the blue away shirt being the sea and the yellow third kit for the sand of the beaches.

The Nike Dry fabric helps keep you dry and comfortable. while the modified V-neck offers a nonrestrictive fit and the raglan sleeves allow natural range of motion.

Despite a rise in the wholesale cost of the shirts, the club have frozen the price at £38 for adults and £32 for children sizes.

Full kits for children and youths, including socks and shorts, will be also available for sale.

Chairman Jim Parmenter said: “We had a look a several other brands, but nothing stood up to the same level of scrutiny as the Nike offering.

“While it is a more expensive product for us, it is of very high quality.  We hope fans will “Get their kit on” and enjoy wearing it.”

The replica shirts will be available to pre-order from the club’s online shop www.dafcdirect.com  from today before shipping starts next month.

Just Sport:Pro Club will again be working with Dover Athletic to deliver the replicas and training kit for the first team, Academy, Youth Section and retail outlets.

Just Do It – go get your new Nike shirt and ‘Get your kit on’.

Click the shirt to pre-order

MILLER’S CLEAN SWEEP

Ricky Miller signed off from Dover Athletic by completing a clean sweep of the end of season awards.

Miller, who will join League One club Peterborough United next month, won all three awards on offer.

The National League Player of the Year was named the Players’ Player of the Season, the Supporters Player of the Season and the Golden Boot after the striker finished the season with 42 goals, including 40 in the National League.

He was presented with his impressive treble by club director Matthew Jaenicke.

More award news to follow.