*BS*Latest news from Blue Square Bet South*BF*

With the league season just a month away, clubs are stepping up their search for new players.

We start our round-up with a familiar name returning to Essex…

*BS*Thurrock*BF* have welcomed back former Barnet striker Cliff Akurang. He made 121 appearances in two previous spells at Ship Lane, scoring 48 goals.

www.nln24.com reported: One of those goals was the classic against Luton Town in the FA Cup first round replay on 18th November 2003 which Luton won 3-1.

Manager Hakan Hayrettin said: “I am extremely pleased with Cliff, he knows I can get the best out of him which will benefit both parties.”

*BS*Braintree*BF* have completed the signing of former Colchester striker Jamie Guy. The 22 year-old striker played over 50 times for the U’s before leaving the club for Grays Athletic in January 2010.

Guy is a replacement for last season’s top scorer George Purcell, who has joined York City. A former Ebbsfleet forward, Purcell scored 22 goals in 44 games for the Iron.

Braintree have also lost several defenders to Blue Square Bet South new boys Dartford, who recently signed Charlie Sheringham from Bishop’s Stortford.
*Lpic1*
*BS*Bromley*BF* have signed goalkeeper Craig Holloway from Braintree. The Lilywhites are the third Blue Square Bet South club Holloway has played for in the past 12 months after starting last season at Chelmsford.

The Hayes Lane club have also signed Tooting striker Paul Vines. The goalpoacher netted several times against Dover in the Whites’ successive Ryman League title-winning seasons. He made 200 appearances and scored 123 goals for the South London club.

*BS*Lewes*BF* are in new ownership, an attempt to secure the long-term future of the club and give control to the supporters. Owners Martin Elliott and Kevin Powell have cleared the outstanding debts and handed all shares in the club over to Lewes Community Football Club.

*BS*Bishop’s Stortford*BF* are hoping to hang on to talented youngster Scott Shulton. The midfielder has been on trial with Southampton and could be offered a contract this week.

*BS*Boreham Wood*BF* have promoted former Ashford Town (Kent) goalkeeper Simon Overland to first-choice after losing experienced stopper Tony Tucker. Overland signed for Wood in March 2009 but went elsewhere in search of regular football and has played at all levels of non-league football, including Gravesend, Dagenham and Dulwich.

*BS*Latest news from Blue Square Bet South*BF*

With the league season just a month away, clubs are stepping up their search for new players.

We start our round-up with a familiar name returning to Essex…

*BS*Thurrock*BF* have welcomed back former Barnet striker Cliff Akurang. He made 121 appearances in two previous spells at Ship Lane, scoring 48 goals.

www.nln24.com reported: One of those goals was the classic against Luton Town in the FA Cup first round replay on 18th November 2003 which Luton won 3-1.

Manager Hakan Hayrettin said: “I am extremely pleased with Cliff, he knows I can get the best out of him which will benefit both parties.”

*BS*Braintree*BF* have completed the signing of former Colchester striker Jamie Guy. The 22 year-old striker played over 50 times for the U’s before leaving the club for Grays Athletic in January 2010.

Guy is a replacement for last season’s top scorer George Purcell, who has joined York City. A former Ebbsfleet forward, Purcell scored 22 goals in 44 games for the Iron.

Braintree have also lost several defenders to Blue Square Bet South new boys Dartford, who recently signed Charlie Sheringham from Bishop’s Stortford.
*Lpic1*
*BS*Bromley*BF* have signed goalkeeper Craig Holloway from Braintree. The Lilywhites are the third Blue Square Bet South club Holloway has played for in the past 12 months after starting last season at Chelmsford.

The Hayes Lane club have also signed Tooting striker Paul Vines. The goalpoacher netted several times against Dover in the Whites’ successive Ryman League title-winning seasons. He made 200 appearances and scored 123 goals for the South London club.

*BS*Lewes*BF* are in new ownership, an attempt to secure the long-term future of the club and give control to the supporters. Owners Martin Elliott and Kevin Powell have cleared the outstanding debts and handed all shares in the club over to Lewes Community Football Club.

*BS*Bishop’s Stortford*BF* are hoping to hang on to talented youngster Scott Shulton. The midfielder has been on trial with Southampton and could be offered a contract this week.

*BS*Boreham Wood*BF* have promoted former Ashford Town (Kent) goalkeeper Simon Overland to first-choice after losing experienced stopper Tony Tucker. Overland signed for Wood in March 2009 but went elsewhere in search of regular football and has played at all levels of non-league football, including Gravesend, Dagenham and Dulwich.

*BS*MARTIN HAYES had to drag someone out of the stands to play 20 minutes of the second half to save Matt Fish from melting in the heat at Crabble.

*BF*Hayes substituted his entire team at the break during the 2-0 friendly defeat against Colchester with the exception of Fish.

Yet it was the intention to reintroduce one of the first-half players in place of the Whites full-back after 10 to 15 minutes.

But the referee in charge did not allow Hayes to make the change.

The Whites boss said: “Poor Matt played far longer than we intended. The ref told me he would not allow us to bring players on that we had already taken off.

“I was under the impression, because it was a friendly, that we could do that. The referee claims he had told the club this prior to the fixture – but I certainly had no knowledge of this rule.

“So we had to find a lad who was in the stands to come on, just so we could give Matty a breather!

“To be fair, the lad in the stands actually had been training with us this week. I don’t even know the name of the boy!

“If anyone wants a game at Faversham next week, by the way, just bring your boots, you’ll probably get on!”

*Q1*But, apart from the far from ideal build-up to the game and an over-fussy referee, Hayes was happy enough with what he saw from his Dover squad during their first tune-up match.

*BF*Whites – fielding several trialists and academy players – were far from disgraced against the League One club.

He said: “We didn’t look too bad to be fair. The opening goal was disappointing to concede. Our keeper Ross Flitney came from a cross, when he should have stayed on his line, and the header has come in.

“The gap between the two teams in the first half was not that massive and everyone worked hard, which was good to see.

“In the second half, I felt the team did not work as hard. I thought the young keeper Ben Humphrey did very well.

“Going into this game, we had only worked with the ball for about half an hour – so it was a tough game first up.

“Now we go to Faversham, which will be a step-up for us in regards to being able to play our game, attack more but on not the best pitch in the world. It will be a better match for us at this stage of our pre-season.”

Hayes says the squad he had to work with at the weekend would be good enough to mount a promotion challenge.

And he admits there was three or four trialists on display who he is seriously considering as new additions to the squad.

*Ppic1*Trialists on display were:

*BS*Ahmed Deen: *BF*Left-winger or left-back who Martin managed at Bishop’s Stortford. He went on to play for Macclesfield and Barnet.

*BS*Elliott Charles: *BF*Striker who has played for Barnet and Kettering.

*BS*Luke Medley: *BF*Right winger who has just been released by Barnet. Was on loan at Havant and Waterlooville last season.

*BS*Sam Cutler: *BF*Central midfielder or right back who has played for Weymouth and Grays. Finished last season at Welling.

*BS*Jordan Anderson: *BF*Centre half who has been with Charlton.

*BS*Jackson Ohakam: *BF*Centre-half or right-back who wanted a trial from Margate.

*BS*Aiden Davis: *BF*Been with Yeovil. Plays as a right-winger.

*BS*Mark Corneille: *BF*Central midfielder or right-back from Bromley.

*BS*Ben Hunt: *BF*Striker released by Bristol Rovers.

New-signing Rob Gillman did not feature as he was attending a family wedding but will now figure in the rest of the pre-season campaign.

Hayes said: “I just need to whittle the squad down to 18 to 20 players and then we’re ready to go.

“We’re having a good look at the trialists and there are a couple who are coming down to keep fit but are still exploring options with Football League clubs … so we’re waiting on a few things.

“However, we’re not in bad shape and I’m confident we’ll have a strong squad to go all guns blazing when the season kicks off.”

*BS*MARTIN HAYES had to drag someone out of the stands to play 20 minutes of the second half to save Matt Fish from melting in the heat at Crabble.

*BF*Hayes substituted his entire team at the break during the 2-0 friendly defeat against Colchester with the exception of Fish.

Yet it was the intention to reintroduce one of the first-half players in place of the Whites full-back after 10 to 15 minutes.

But the referee in charge did not allow Hayes to make the change.

The Whites boss said: “Poor Matt played far longer than we intended. The ref told me he would not allow us to bring players on that we had already taken off.

“I was under the impression, because it was a friendly, that we could do that. The referee claims he had told the club this prior to the fixture – but I certainly had no knowledge of this rule.

“So we had to find a lad who was in the stands to come on, just so we could give Matty a breather!

“To be fair, the lad in the stands actually had been training with us this week. I don’t even know the name of the boy!

“If anyone wants a game at Faversham next week, by the way, just bring your boots, you’ll probably get on!”

*Q1*But, apart from the far from ideal build-up to the game and an over-fussy referee, Hayes was happy enough with what he saw from his Dover squad during their first tune-up match.

*BF*Whites – fielding several trialists and academy players – were far from disgraced against the League One club.

He said: “We didn’t look too bad to be fair. The opening goal was disappointing to concede. Our keeper Ross Flitney came from a cross, when he should have stayed on his line, and the header has come in.

“The gap between the two teams in the first half was not that massive and everyone worked hard, which was good to see.

“In the second half, I felt the team did not work as hard. I thought the young keeper Ben Humphrey did very well.

“Going into this game, we had only worked with the ball for about half an hour – so it was a tough game first up.

“Now we go to Faversham, which will be a step-up for us in regards to being able to play our game, attack more but on not the best pitch in the world. It will be a better match for us at this stage of our pre-season.”

Hayes says the squad he had to work with at the weekend would be good enough to mount a promotion challenge.

And he admits there was three or four trialists on display who he is seriously considering as new additions to the squad.

*Ppic1*Trialists on display were:

*BS*Ahmed Deen: *BF*Left-winger or left-back who Martin managed at Bishop’s Stortford. He went on to play for Macclesfield and Barnet.

*BS*Elliott Charles: *BF*Striker who has played for Barnet and Kettering.

*BS*Luke Medley: *BF*Right winger who has just been released by Barnet. Was on loan at Havant and Waterlooville last season.

*BS*Sam Cutler: *BF*Central midfielder or right back who has played for Weymouth and Grays. Finished last season at Welling.

*BS*Jordan Anderson: *BF*Centre half who has been with Charlton.

*BS*Jackson Ohakam: *BF*Centre-half or right-back who wanted a trial from Margate.

*BS*Aiden Davis: *BF*Been with Yeovil. Plays as a right-winger.

*BS*Mark Corneille: *BF*Central midfielder or right-back from Bromley.

*BS*Ben Hunt: *BF*Striker released by Bristol Rovers.

New-signing Rob Gillman did not feature as he was attending a family wedding but will now figure in the rest of the pre-season campaign.

Hayes said: “I just need to whittle the squad down to 18 to 20 players and then we’re ready to go.

“We’re having a good look at the trialists and there are a couple who are coming down to keep fit but are still exploring options with Football League clubs … so we’re waiting on a few things.

“However, we’re not in bad shape and I’m confident we’ll have a strong squad to go all guns blazing when the season kicks off.”

NULL

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*BS*DOVER ATHLETIC are back in action on Saturday, kicking off the new season against Football League opposition.*BF*

Martin Hayes’ new-look squad and triallists take on League One side Colchester at Perrys Crabble at 3.00pm.

The new Dover boss will have his first opportunity to see how his squad is shaping up and judge what areas still need strengthening in preparation for the first league game at Woking in August.

Whites’ defence is already looking strong, following the signing of Rob Gillman from Bromley and the forthcoming arrival of Gillingham’s Tom Wynter at left back. Matt Fish and Olly Schulz have both signed new contracts and the versatile Dean Hill is keen to join them by impressing in pre-season.

Both clubs have experienced losing their manager and key personnel. While Colchester’s upheaval happened a year ago, they are a club rebuilding for the future and have lost several players in the summer, including midfielder David Fox to former boss Paul Lambert’s Norwich City.

Lambert left Colchester at the beginning of last season shortly after guiding them to a 7-1 win at Norwich. The Canaries have recently been forced to pay Colchester £425,000 in compensation for Lambert, who led the Norfolk club to an immediate promotion.

*BS*Colchester Fact File:*BF*
~ Formed in 1937. Formerly Colchester Town, which was established in 1867.
~ Nickname: ‘The Oystermen’ or ‘The U’s’
*Lpic1*
*BS*Stadium:*BF*
~ Weston Homes Community Stadium, opened in 2008. Capacity: 10,000
~ Former ground: Layer Road – opened in 1909.
~ Record attendance: 19,072 (Layer Road)

*BS*Honours:*BF*
~ Football Conference Champions 1991–92
~ FA Challenge Trophy Winners 1991–92
~ Southern Football League Champions 1938–39
~ Southern League Cup winners 1939–40, 1946–47
~ Eastern Counties Football League Champions 1938–39, 1956–57

*BS*Historic Cup Run:*BF*
In the 1947-48 season Colchester, then in the Southern League, produced one of the most notable F.A. Cup runs by a non-league side, beating fellow-non-league side Banbury Spencer in the First Round before beating league clubs Wrexham, Huddersfield and Bradford Park Avenue. They finally fell to Blackpool in the fifth round. (Source: Wikipedia)

*BS*KEY PERSONNEL*BF*
*Ppic1*
*BS*Manager: John Ward*BF*
Former Lincoln City striker. Previously managed York, Bristol Rovers, Bristol City, Cheltenham and Carlisle. Won promotion twice as a manager at Bristol City and Cheltenham and arrived at Colchester in 2010.

*BS*Assistant Manager: Joe Dunne*BF*
Former Whites midfielder, Joe is inextricably linked with Colchester. Started his playing career at Gillingham, before moving to Layer Road where he made 160 appearances in two spells.

He only played 12 times for Dover in five months at Crabble under Bill Williams in 1999 but formed arguably the best midfield in the Conference with Simon Wormull, Dave Clarke and Neil Le Bihan, which catapulted Dover up the table on its way to securing the club’s best ever placing in the Conference (6th).

*BS*Longest-serving Player: Kemal Izzet*BF*
333 appearances and counting for the 29 year-old midfielder. Younger brother of Muzzy Izzet, who played in the Premiership for Leicester, Kemal played 31 games last season.

*BS*SATURDAY 10 JULY – 3.00PM
DOVER ATHLETIC vs COLCHESTER UNITED*BF*

*BS*MATCH POSTERS:*BF*
*Link1*

*BS*DOVER ATHLETIC are back in action on Saturday, kicking off the new season against Football League opposition.*BF*

Martin Hayes’ new-look squad and triallists take on League One side Colchester at Perrys Crabble at 3.00pm.

The new Dover boss will have his first opportunity to see how his squad is shaping up and judge what areas still need strengthening in preparation for the first league game at Woking in August.

Whites’ defence is already looking strong, following the signing of Rob Gillman from Bromley and the forthcoming arrival of Gillingham’s Tom Wynter at left back. Matt Fish and Olly Schulz have both signed new contracts and the versatile Dean Hill is keen to join them by impressing in pre-season.

Both clubs have experienced losing their manager and key personnel. While Colchester’s upheaval happened a year ago, they are a club rebuilding for the future and have lost several players in the summer, including midfielder David Fox to former boss Paul Lambert’s Norwich City.

Lambert left Colchester at the beginning of last season shortly after guiding them to a 7-1 win at Norwich. The Canaries have recently been forced to pay Colchester £425,000 in compensation for Lambert, who led the Norfolk club to an immediate promotion.

*BS*Colchester Fact File:*BF*
~ Formed in 1937. Formerly Colchester Town, which was established in 1867.
~ Nickname: ‘The Oystermen’ or ‘The U’s’
*Lpic1*
*BS*Stadium:*BF*
~ Weston Homes Community Stadium, opened in 2008. Capacity: 10,000
~ Former ground: Layer Road – opened in 1909.
~ Record attendance: 19,072 (Layer Road)

*BS*Honours:*BF*
~ Football Conference Champions 1991–92
~ FA Challenge Trophy Winners 1991–92
~ Southern Football League Champions 1938–39
~ Southern League Cup winners 1939–40, 1946–47
~ Eastern Counties Football League Champions 1938–39, 1956–57

*BS*Historic Cup Run:*BF*
In the 1947-48 season Colchester, then in the Southern League, produced one of the most notable F.A. Cup runs by a non-league side, beating fellow-non-league side Banbury Spencer in the First Round before beating league clubs Wrexham, Huddersfield and Bradford Park Avenue. They finally fell to Blackpool in the fifth round. (Source: Wikipedia)

*BS*KEY PERSONNEL*BF*
*Ppic1*
*BS*Manager: John Ward*BF*
Former Lincoln City striker. Previously managed York, Bristol Rovers, Bristol City, Cheltenham and Carlisle. Won promotion twice as a manager at Bristol City and Cheltenham and arrived at Colchester in 2010.

*BS*Assistant Manager: Joe Dunne*BF*
Former Whites midfielder, Joe is inextricably linked with Colchester. Started his playing career at Gillingham, before moving to Layer Road where he made 160 appearances in two spells.

He only played 12 times for Dover in five months at Crabble under Bill Williams in 1999 but formed arguably the best midfield in the Conference with Simon Wormull, Dave Clarke and Neil Le Bihan, which catapulted Dover up the table on its way to securing the club’s best ever placing in the Conference (6th).

*BS*Longest-serving Player: Kemal Izzet*BF*
333 appearances and counting for the 29 year-old midfielder. Younger brother of Muzzy Izzet, who played in the Premiership for Leicester, Kemal played 31 games last season.

*BS*SATURDAY 10 JULY – 3.00PM
DOVER ATHLETIC vs COLCHESTER UNITED*BF*

*BS*MATCH POSTERS:*BF*
*Link1*

*BS*ROB GILLMAN thinks Dover Athletic have all the correct ingredients to launch another promotion bid.

*BF*And he reckons Martin Hayes is the ideal head chef to blend it all together and cook up a treat for Whites fans this season.

Gillman – who has completed his move from Bromley – jumped at the chance to join his former Bishop’s Stortford boss once he landed the Dover job.

And now he believes the Mighty Whites will be bubbling along quite nicely towards the top of the table this season.

He said: “This is an impressive set-up and definitely a club that’s going places.

“I thought Dover were a very good side in the two games we played against them last season – especially the game down at Crabble. They were well organised and very tough to play against.

“Martin rang me and asked had I signed a new deal yet at Bromley. I hadn’t – and he wanted to know if I fancied joining him at Dover.

“I didn’t need long to make my mind up to come because I worked with Martin before – and he’s a very good manager.

“He has a habit of finding gems – like Steve Morrison for example.

“Martin built a very good team at Bishop’s Stortford. He is a boss who gets the best out of players and only expects the very best.”

Gillman only knows Dean Hill from the current squad – and is excited about the prospect of playing with new team-mates.

He said: “I know Dean Hill from when he was at Ashford. But apart from that I don’t know any of the lads – apart from having played against them. I can’t wait to get to know everyone. We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us.”

*BS*PAUL JOYNES says he and Whites boss Martin Hayes fit like a glove.

*BF*The newly-appointed Dover Athletic assistant manager has known Hayes for more than a decade – and insists they are a perfect match to help take up the challenge at Crabble.

Joynes was No2 to Hayes while he managed Bishop’s Stortford, where they took the club from Ryman One to the Blue Square South on a shoestring budget.

He said: “I knew Martin through work and was managing Aveley. I used to always pick Martin’s brain about football stuff. Then he asked me to become his assistant at Stortford and we did a good job there.

*Lpic1*“It was a perfect match, Martin and I. He had contacts at League clubs and knew young players who were being released and had potential to get back into the pro game, while I knew the rough diamonds playing in the lower leagues of non-league who just needed a little polishing.

“And we were able to mould all this together into a team that worked hard for each other and played good football.

“We want to put a smile back on players’ faces that have had disappointments elsewhere and get them back on the road to being a full-time pro or very good semi-pro player.

“Steve Morrison and Greg Pearson are a couple of examples of players we’ve picked up who are now playing at a higher level.”

Joynes says he already knows a fair bit about a few Dover players – Adam Birchall, Joe Tabiri, Ross Flitney, Lee Hook and Tom Wynter.

He said: “Adam, Joe and Ross were all at Barnet – when we were at Stortford – and Hooky, we know from his Eastbourne days, while Mark Robson, the former Gillingham assistant, has given us a lot of information about Tom, who he rated highly.

“We know a fair bit – and already can see there are a dozen lads from last season who did very well for the club. It’s just a case of bringing in some players around them to push the team to the next level.

*Q1*“This is a massive club in non-league and we’re aiming at the very least to get into the Conference, and then I suppose the potential is here to push for the Football League. But Blue Square Premier is our target as things stand – but this division is not easy and there are plenty of good teams.

“The club did very well to finish second last season on the back of two successive promotions. The challenge is huge to maintain that but we’re going to give it a good go.”

Joynes admits that one of the biggest tasks – alongside signing five or six new players – is to appoint a captain. But, so far, the new management duo are none the wiser as to who will be wearing the armband.

He said: “They’re a quiet bunch of lads so at this moment in time we need to take a good look at that. There are obviously some big characters in the dressing room, as they finished second last season, but Martin and I still need to ascertain as to who will be skipper.”