TANNERS MOVE QUICK TO REPLACE BULLARD Ryman Premier Division Leatherhead have moved quick to replace Jimmy Bullard who left the club last week. Twenty-nine year old Sammy Moore has been given the player/manager job at Fetcham Grove. Best known for his time with AFC Wimbledon from 2011 to 2015 the midfielder spent last season with Leyton Orient and sometime on-loan with Dover Athletic. BILLERICAY TOWN SIGN DEFNDER PAINE Twenty-Nine year old defender Matt Paine, who played forty times for National League side Boreham Wood last season, has signed for Ryman Premier Division Billericay Town. Paine has also played for Colchester United, Thurrock and Braintree Town during his career. It's the first signing announced by the big-spending Essex side this summer with a number of others rumoured to be announced very soon. QUINTON DEPARTS ENFIELD TOWN The big news of the last week is that Bradley Quinton has left Enfield Town to join Braintree Town as the Vanarama South side's new boss. The Iron are a club close to Quinton's heart as he made over 500 playing appearances for them between 2000 to 2013. He took over at Donkey Lane in August 2014 achieving league placings of 7th, 6th and 4th as well as playing over 50 times for the North London side. The Towners are now on the search for his replacement. PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY GAMES ANNOUNCED FOR MANY TEAMS The 2016/17 campaign is only just over but the preparation for the 2017/18 season has begun. Many local clubs have announced pre-season friendly games with some as early as Saturday 1st July which means it's just six weekends away for local football fans starved of action. Local games scheduled on the first Saturday of July are currently Bedfont Sports v Lyne, Colliers Wood United v Southall and Brimsdown v Takeley.
There are still some local football games left in the 2016/17 campaign. The Spartan South Midlands League Division Two wraps up with a full fixture list tomorrow afternoon including Enfield Borough's trip to division champions Thame Rangers. The full list is - Amersham Town v Old Bradwell United Aston Clinton v MK Gallacticos Clean Slate v St Neots Town Reserves (Kick Off 2.00pm) Thame Rangers v Enfield Borough The 61FC (Luton) v Pitstone & Ivinghoe (Kick Off 2.00pm) Totternhoe v New Bradwell St Peter Tring Corinthians v Grendon Rangers Tring Town AFC v Loughton Manor Tomorrow at The Herts County Ground in Letchworth sees the final of the Anagram Records Trophy between Middlesex County League side British Airways and Herts Senior County League side Letchworth Garden City Eagles. The Essex Alliance League have three Cup Finals left to play at Dagenham and Redbridge's ground. Toinght (Friday) sees Lymore Gardens play Chigwell Rovers in the Division Two Cup Final with the Division One Final on Monday between Sporting Hackney Reserves and Three Colts and finally Tuesday the Premier Divsion Final between Jolof Sports and Old Esthamiens. Further up the pyramid it's a massive game in the Vanarama South division play-off as Ebbsfleet United host Chelmsford City in a game which is SOLD OUT - The bookies make The Fleet favourites at 3/5 with City at 7/2.
The non-league season maybe coming to an end but the planning and hard work for the 2017/18 campaign has begun at many clubs in the local area. Here is some news and updates from some - FANTASTIC NEWS FOR HENDON AS McCANN COMMITS TO THE CLUB The Greens have announced that manager Gary McCann has committed to the club for a further two years. The popular boss has been in the hot-seat since February 2005 and has overseen some turbulent times at the club with the loss of their Claremont Road ground in 2008. Fans will be hoping, with one full season played at the new Silver Jubilee Park, their team can finish higher than the 18th place they achieved this year and not flirt with relegation to Division One (North). LEFT-BACK LAYNE EADIE ON THE MOVE Harlow Town defender Layne Eadie will move on from The Hawks when his current contract runs out in the summer. He has been with the club since September 2013 and has played over 200 times scoring 12 goals - he was crowned "manager's", "player's" and "supporter's" player of the year for the 2015/16 season. BRAINTREE TOWN PART COMPANY WITH HAYRETTIN The Iron, who were relegated from the Vanarama National division, have parted company with boss Hakan Hayrettin who joined the club in September 2016. They spent six season at non-league's top table and return to the Vanarama South division they left in 2010/11. Many fans of the Essex side have mentioned Enfield Town boss Bradley Quinton as a possible replacement - he played for the club between 1999 and 2013 making over 500 appearances. NEW SIGNINGS EXPECTED AT BILLERICAY TOWN More signings are expected to be announced at big spending Billericay Town over the next few weeks. Manager/Owner Glen Tamplin wrote on social-media on May 6 "New signings will be announced this week coming ..... one serious squad to do the business as promised #leaguewinners". One player who I think will stand out for the Essex side next season is midfielder Byron Lawrence who joined from fellow Premier Division side Leiston in March - he has represented Ipswich Town and Colchester United and at only 21 years old can easily move up the football pyramid with a good campaign next season. EARLY PRE-SEASON FIXTURES ANNOUNCED Saturday 1st July is only eight weekends away and there are some very early pre-season fixtures already announced for this day. Bedford Town host Luton Town (who could be then be a League One side) along with Bedfont Sports hosting Lyne FC. Colliers Wood United are also scheduled to play Southall.
Saturday 6th May 3pm KO Loughton Manor v Clean Slate MK Gallacticos v Amersham Town Mursley United v Old Bradwell United Thame Rangers v St Neots Town Reserves The 61FC (Luton) v Aston Clinton Tring Town AFC v Totternhoe Tuesday 9th May 6.30pm KO Aston Clinton v Thame Rangers Clean Slate v Tring Town AFC Pitstone & Ivinghoe v Loughton Manor Saturday 13th May 3pm KO unless stated Clean Slate v St. Neots Town Reserves - 2pm Amersham Town v Old Bradwell United Aston Clinton v MK Gallacticos Thame Rangers v Enfield Borough The 61FC (Luton) v Pitstone & Ivinghoe Totternhoe v New Bradwell St Peter
PICTURES OF THE HUGE CROWD OF 2,517 AT CHAMPION HILL FOR THE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL BETWEEN DULWICH HAMLET AND ENFIELD TOWN
The Ryman Premier 2016/17 season is now officially over following Bognor Regis Town's 2-1 play-off final victory over Dulwich Hamlet which see's them promoted with Champion's Havant and Waterlooville. The game at Nyewood Lane kicked off late as a massive attendance of 3,119 was recorded.
Here is what I think the 2017/18 Isthmian League Premier Division may look like. We know the four teams who will be coming up from D1(S) and D1(N) and we could see Margate, Bishops Stortford and/or maybe Gosport Borough join from the Vanarama South... or possibly some sideways transfers between the Southern League Premier Division. All will be officially announced over the next few months.
1. BILLERICAY TOWN 2. BISHOPS STORTFORD - relegated from Vanarama South 3. BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT - promoted from D1(N) 4. BURGESS HILL TOWN 5. DORKING WANDERERS - promoted from D1(S) 6. DULWICH HAMLET 7. ENFIELD TOWN 8. FOLKESTONE INVICTA 9. HARLOW TOWN 10. HENDON 11. KINGSTONIAN 12. LEATHERHEAD 13. LEISTON 14. LOWESTOFT TOWN 15. MARGATE - relegated from Vanarama South 16. MERSTHAM 17. MET POLICE 18. NEEDHAM MARKET 19. STAINES TOWN 20. TOOTING AND MITCHAM UNITED - promoted from D1(S) 21. THURROCK - promoted from D1(N) 22. TONBRIDGE ANGELS 23. WINGATE AND FINCHLEY 24. WORTHING Of the promoted sides Dorking Wanderers have had a rapid rise through the pyramid. Only in 2010/11 they were playing in the Sussex County League Division Three (Step 7) gaining promotion that season, 2011/12, 2014/15 and 2016/17. Brightlingsea Regent, D1(N) champions, have also seen a number of promotions having been members of the Essex and Suffolk Border League in 2010/11. Thurrock return to the Premier Division after a four year stay in Division One (North) where they finished 6th, 5th, 2nd and 3rd. Tooting and Mitcham United last played in the Premier Division in 2011/12 and will now (following today's result) be looking forward to renewing their rivalry with South London neighbour's Dulwich Hamlet.
