Dover Athletic are pleased to welcome Laurence Ball back to the club as part of Jake Leberl’s backroom staff ahead of the 2026/27 season.

A familiar face to many supporters, Ball enjoyed two spells as a player at Crabble during the 2000s. After beginning his career in Gillingham’s youth system, he first joined Dover in 2003 before returning to the club in 2007 following time with Altrincham.

During his second spell, Ball established himself in the first team and played an important role in the side that won the Isthmian League Division One South title in 2008/09, helping the Whites secure promotion. He went on to make over 50 appearances for the club before moving on to Ramsgate.

Now, more than 15 years later, Laurence returns to Crabble and will work alongside Jake Leberl, Mike Sandmann and the rest of the management team as preparations continue for the new season.

Everyone at Dover Athletic would like to welcome Laurence back to the club and wish him every success in his new role.

At the same time, the club can confirm that Chief Scout Richard Bates has departed to take up a new position with Dagenham & Redbridge.

The move presents a fantastic opportunity for Rich and allows him to take on a role closer to home.

Since joining the club during our successful 2024/25 Isthmian Premier Division promotion-winning campaign, Rich has become an integral member of Jake Leberl’s backroom team. Working closely with Jake, Mike and the coaching staff, he played a key role in opposition analysis, recruitment and match preparation, splitting his time between scouting upcoming opponents and supporting the team from the dugout on matchdays.

Rich leaves the club with our very best wishes and thanks for his hard work, dedication and contribution over the past two seasons.

We look forward to welcoming him back to Crabble in the future and wish him every success in the next chapter of his career.

Dover Athletic are delighted to confirm that academy player Enyinnaya Ezenwanne has agreed terms with the club ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Enyinnaya made his first-team debut for the Whites in the final National League South game of the 2025/26 campaign against Chesham United.

His introduction to senior football marked an important step in his development and provided another encouraging example of the pathway being created between the Dover Athletic Academy and the first team.

A promising young talent, Enyinnaya has earned his opportunity through hard work, consistency and the right attitude.

He will now continue his progression as part of Jake Leberl’s squad heading into the new season.

Academy Manager and First Team Assistant Mike Sandmann said:

The Academy are really proud to have another one come through the system and hopefully Eny can go on to become a huge success for Dover Athletic. Eny has developed really well in his first year and has worked so hard to be given this opportunity. There is still so much growth to come from Eny in his game and we are excited to see his progress.

Dover Athletic are delighted to confirm that Rolando Onu has agreed new terms with the club ahead of the 2026/27 season.

A Dover Athletic Academy graduate, Rolando originally returned to Crabble ahead of the 2025/26 campaign after time in the United States with Loyola Maryland University and Eastern Florida College.

He enjoyed three successful years in the Dover Academy, winning National League Youth Player of the Year and helping the side lift the Champion of Champions, Premier League VAR Tournament and Kent Academies Cup.

After returning to the UK, Rolando featured in our Kent Senior Cup tie against Welling before signing for Faversham Town, where he went on to win the Southern Counties East Football League.

During the 2025/26 season, the forward spent time on loan at Sheppey United and Ramsgate before returning to Dover, making 16 National League South appearances and scoring once for the Whites.

Rolando will now continue his journey with the club as Jake Leberl’s squad takes shape for the 2026/27 campaign.

There is still time to purchase your season ticket with our early bird discount, you can order your 2026/27 season ticket from reception at Crabble, online at our club shop, or download an application form by clicking here.

By JUSTIN ALLEN

DECARREY SHERIFF has issued a sizzling promise to the Crabble faithful ahead of the new campaign — MORE goals and MORE assists.

The exciting forward has officially put pen to paper on a fresh deal to remain with the Whites for another year.

And Sheriff, 28, insists he is ready to explode after an injury-hit first season at the club.

He said: “Now it’s time to really go out there and let the shackles off now.

“Now I have to really show the fans what I’m about.

“It’s easier said than done. I need to go and do it on the pitch.”

Sheriff joined Dover last summer and instantly fell in love with the community atmosphere around Kent.

He admitted re-signing was a “no-brainer” because the tight-knit dressing room feels just like home.

The Whites ace said: “These are important years for me now. I’m 28 now.

“Obviously going into the season and midway through the season, I’ll be 29.

“Yeah, I feel like a veteran now, to be honest — and want to help the team.”

Dover had a rollercoaster first season back in the National League South. After a promising start that even saw the team in and around the play-off spots, a late season dip saw them finish fifth bottom.

Although they were always comfortably clear of any relegation danger.

Sheriff said: “The boys done well in step three the season before and jump back into this league with some so-called big hitters that spend quite a bit.

“And we’ve put some good performance against good teams here, home and away, against some top teams.”

The forward revealed that manager Jake Leberl is working hard to fix the team’s inconsistency.

He claims improving game management is the absolute key to climbing up the table.

Sheriff explained: “What I’ve learned is we need to be better game management.

“We need to, as a whole, be more sharper in games in the beginning and just stay, game management, really just stay tight in games when it’s a bit difficult.

“I feel like we let loose in a lot of games.”

Fans do not always see the incredible bond built away from matchdays.

Sheriff praised the squad dynamic and the support of the management staff.

He said: “The dynamic in the changing room is brilliant. I wouldn’t change anything for that. It’s very lively.

“Through good and bad moments, there’s no real trouble where there’s people distancing themselves.

“Everyone’s together as a group. There’s no small groups. Everyone’s really together.”

He added: “We obviously engage in team nights out when suitable, when we’re allowed to and things like this.

“And I feel like this is what brings us closer to perform on the pitch.”

Every elite striker faces criticism when they fluff their lines in front of goal.

But Sheriff relies on his experience to brush off any frustration.

He revealed: “If I miss a chance, I think I’ve grown up now and I have enough experience now to kind of put it behind me.

“As soon as I leave the changing room and I go in the clubhouse to meet the fans, it’s about them. They’ve been brilliant to me.”

With striker George Nikaj departing the club, the pressure is on to find firepower.

But the frontman welcomes the challenge of extra responsibility.

He said: “We need to add more bodies. We need to add more hungry people that want to score goals.

“And I feel like that will be the difference.”

Before jetting off to Italy for a short break to see his son, Sheriff left a message.

He urged the fanbase to remain patient and completely back the boys.

Sheriff concluded: “Be loud, be proud.

“From my perspective, for me, you’re going to get more goals.

“You’re going to get more assists and you’re going to see some exciting football from everyone, individually and collectively.”

Dover Athletic are delighted to confirm that Decarrey Sheriff has agreed new terms with the club ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Sheriff joined the Whites last summer following a productive campaign with Billericay Town, where he made 49 appearances in all competitions and scored 10 goals during the 2024/25 season.

Sheriff went on to become an important part of Jake Leberl’s squad in the National League South, making 37 appearances and scoring seven goals in his first season at Crabble.

A powerful and experienced attacking option, Sheriff will once again be part of the squad as the Whites prepare for the 2026/27 campaign.

There is still time to purchase your season ticket with our early bird discount, you can order your 2026/27 season ticket from reception at Crabble, online at our club shop, or download an application form by clicking here.

By JUSTIN ALLEN

DOVER have pulled off a coup by keeping talismanic striker Ruben Soares-Junior after he snubbed offers from elsewhere.

The Portuguese striker has signed a new one-year deal at Crabble and insisted: “I’ve got unfinished business.”

In a candid interview, the 26-year-old lifted the lid on why he chose loyalty over a bigger payday.

He said: “I’m home here. The love from the fans and the trust from the gaffer made this an easy choice in the end.

“We started something special, and I am not leaving until the job is done.

“I had other options on the table, and some of them were offering a lot of money from leagues above.

“But you cannot put a price on happiness or the feeling you get when you walk out at Crabble.”

The striker has forged an unbreakable bond with the fans over the past two seasons — admired for his relentless work-rate, his goals and of course bubbly sense of humour.

Soares-Junior paid tribute to boss Jake Leberl for not only building a family culture in the dressing room — but keeping him grounded and hungry.

He revealed: “Jake knows exactly how to get the absolute best out of me.

“The manager gives me the freedom to express myself, and the lads in the dressing room are like brothers to me.

“You can’t buy that kind of team spirit anywhere else in football, no matter how much cash they throw at you.”

And Soares-Junior has a direct message to Dover fans.

He said: “Get your season tickets renewed because we need Crabble rocking every single week.

“You are our 12th man and together we’re going to make this a season nobody will ever forget.”

Dover Athletic are delighted to confirm that Ruben Soares-Junior has agreed new terms with the club ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Ruben joined the Whites last season and played a major role in our promotion success, finishing the campaign with an outstanding 25 goals and 13 assists in all competitions.

His impressive performances saw him recognised with both Manager’s Player of the Season and Player’s Player of the Season, underlining his importance to Jake Leberl’s side.

The forward carried that form into the National League South during the 2025/26 campaign, making 29 appearances and scoring eight goals as Dover adjusted to life back at Step 2.

A proven attacking threat with creativity, work rate and an eye for goal, Ruben will once again be part of the squad as the Whites prepare for the 2026/27 season.

There is still time to purchase your season ticket with our early bird discount, you can order your 2026/27 season ticket from reception at Crabble, online at our club shop, or download an application form by clicking here.

By JUSTIN ALLEN

NEW Dover Athletic signing Euan Williams wants to put five years of injury hell behind him.

And it has inspired him to launch a revolutionary new platform to help crocked players cope with the psychological torture of the treatment room.

The highly-rated 23-year-old midfielder has signed for the Whites from Gillingham.

Williams, who progressed through Charlton Athletic’s famed academy after stints with West Ham and Arsenal, has suffered a brutal run of physical set-backs since turning pro.

But instead of letting his injury woes break him, the forward-thinking playmaker is using his experiences to transform the game for fellow pros by launching a unique player-to-player mentoring service called Playerbook.

Williams said: “It’s been a really frustrating journey. The last five or six years have been totally stop-start.

“Every single time I gained a bit of momentum, I would pick up another injury, a hamstring issue or a small tear here and there.

“They were complete momentum stoppers. What I found was that I was always chasing.

“I was trying so hard to get back to my true level and get back to peak fitness, but trying to chase it makes it feel like it gets further away every time. You end up trying harder and harder, pushing your body too far.”

After suffering another hamstring tear in March while on the brink of solidifying back-to-back starts in League Two, Williams knew something had to change.

He decided to step away from the grueling schedule of full-time professional football to sign a part-time deal under Dover boss Jake Leberl.

The decision was heavily influenced by a close footballing friend who successfully revived his own career by dropping down to part-time football to play a 46-game season before earning a major move back up the pyramid.

Doctors and physiotherapists backed the radical strategy.

Williams said: “The part-time attraction was a massive reason why I decided to come to Dover.

“I’ve been in full-time football since I was 16 and it has been littered with injuries. A friend of mine did a similar thing and played a full season after struggling for years.

“Medical experts told me to try the part-time route and just see if my body reacts better to the reduced training load. I want to stay fit, get a solid bulk of games under my belt, and hit a personal target of at least 10 goals and 10 assists this season.”

Stepping away from the full-time spotlight has also given Williams the time to build Playerbook.

The digital platform connects currently injured footballers directly with mentors and fellow pros who have successfully negotiated the exact same physical traumas.

The app already features a stellar lineup of mentors ranging from former Premier League icons to players who were forced into early retirement by injury.

Williams has already seen the platform pay massive dividends, recently connecting Lewis Bate, the current captain of League One side Stockport, with a group of vulnerable academy midfielders suffering from identical long-term injuries.

Williams said: “The last couple of years made me realise there is something massive missing in football when it comes to getting injured players the psychological support they need.

“It is incredibly difficult to understand if you are not a player, but the trust that footballers have in other footballers tops everything.

“That player-to-player bond is crucial. The rehabilitation room is a deeply lonely place. You are stuck in there entirely by yourself while the rest of the squad is out on the training pitch.

“The only people who truly, deeply understand what you are going through are other players who have lived it.

“Playerbook gives them that immediate connection. The feedback we have had from young lads using the platform has been incredibly positive. There is nothing else out there like this for crocked players.”

Now focusing on his own fitness ahead of pre-season, the dynamic midfielder is eager to show the Dover Athletic faithful exactly what he can do on the Crabble pitch.

Williams said: “I’d describe my playing style as incredibly hard-working both in and out of possession. I love to pass forward, run forward, and create big chances.

“I am very forward-thinking and creative. I am absolutely buzzing to be here at Dover. I can’t wait for the new season to get ahead, so let’s get cracking.”

Dover Athletic are pleased to confirm that George Wilkinson has been retained after agreeing new terms with the club ahead of the 2026/27 season.

A Dover Athletic Academy graduate, Wilkinson is now entering his fifth season with the club and is closing in on 150 appearances in a Whites shirt.

George signed his first senior deal in January 2022 and made his first start later that month in a 2-1 National League defeat away at Wealdstone. He went on to make 23 appearances in the National League that season, scoring once with a spectacular long-range effort at Wrexham.

Since then, the midfielder has continued to develop into an important member of the first-team squad. He featured 41 times in all competitions during the club’s 2024/25 promotion-winning campaign and made 33 appearances in the National League South last season, scoring three goals.

A product of the club’s academy pathway, Wilkinson’s continued presence in the squad is another positive step as Jake Leberl builds towards the new campaign.