KINGSTONIAN
The 21/22 season will be the fifth season The K's will spend without a home of their own after they left their Kingsmeadow ground in 2017 - they are currently ground sharing with Corinthian-Casuals.
Hayden Bird has been the manager since May 2019 - His squad have now played two pre-season friendly games losing 0-1 to Dorking Wanderers and a 0-2 win at Chertsey Town on Saturday in front of a very good crowd of 345 people. Jason Banton, a recent signing from Cray Wanderers, was on the scoresheet along with Daniel Ajakkaiye who has re-joined the club from Havant & Waterlooville. The club have also signed Kershaney Samuels from Carshalton Athletic who was a key part of Merstham's 2018/19 squad which reached the play-off final.
Bryant Akono Bilongo has joined from Hanworth Villa. The 19 year old left-back has played in the AFC Wimbledon academy.
To add to their list of impressive signings is former Dulwich Hamlet winger Nyren Clunis who spent last season's shortened campaign with Carshalton Athletic.
I predict The K's will be one of the teams to beat this season. They travel to Grays Athletic on Saturday before hosting AFC Wimbledon next Tuesday.
LEATHERHEAD
Nikki Bull has announced a number of players have re-signed for The Tanners for the 21/22 campaign. Crossley Lema, Andrew Briggs, Jacob Bennett, Kweku Lucan, Charlie Dawkins, Misha Djemaili, David Ompreon and Craig McGee have all committed to play this season.
They played Aldershot Town u23's on Saturday winning 4-1 with Guildford City visiting tomorrow evening.
Jay Saunders has been very busy building a squad for the 2021/22 season. The club has announced Ben Swift, Bailey Vose, Chris Sessegnon, Jack Richards, Noel Leighton and Archie Burnett have been retained.
He has signed striker Jake Embery from Maidstone United where he has played since 2020. He joined The Stones from Herne Bay where he scored over 50 goals in the Isthmian League South-East Division.
Central Midfielder Montel Agyemang, who was most recently with Vanarama South side Welling United, has also signed. The 24 year old midfielder came through the ranks at Leyton Orient before having spells with Grays Athletic, Maldon & Tiptree, Wealdstone and East Thurrock United.
Midfielder Sam Blackman has returned to Hartsdown Park where he last played in 2018. He was with Concord Rangers last season playing in delayed 2020 FA Trophy final at Wembley against Harrogate Town.
Another midfielder in Ryan Palmer has also signed. He is most well known for playing for Sunday League side SE Dons who are famous via their You Tube videos. He has also played for Ashford United, Hythe Town and VCD Athletic.
Central Defender Lewis Knight, 28, has signed. He is 6' 4" and has also played for East Thurrock United, Maidstone United, Concord Rangers and Welling United previously.
Striker Dan Thompson has joined from East Grinstead Town. He started his career with Hampton & Richmond Borough where he made his debut aged just 16 years old. He went on to join football league side Portsmouth before returning to The Beavers where he was part of the Isthmian League Premier 2016 title winning squad. He then went on to play for Burgess Hill Town, Tonbridge Angels, Braintree Town, Dulwich Hamlet and Kingstonian.
Winger James Bessey-Saldanha has moved from Step Five side Sevenoaks Town along with centre-ack Mo Kamara has signed from Herne Bay. Tommy Cooney, 25, who is a left-back has joined who last played with Bognor Regis Town.
Norman Wabo, 23, who is a striker has also signed. He came through the ranks at Southend United making five first team appearances. He has also played for a number of clubs on loan and Dartford. He most recently played for Cheshunt and Concord Rangers. He played a handful of games for The Gate last season.
Experienced midfielder Ben Greenhalgh, 29, has joined from Tonbridge Angels. He is famous for winning Sky One show Football's Next Star in 2011 which won him a six month contract with Italian giant's Internazionale where he spent time on loan with lower division side Como scoring 8 goals in 12 games. He was presented with a 2010 Champions League winner's medal having travelled with Jose Mourinho's squad who won 0-2 against Bayern Munich.
He has since played for Welling United, Ebbsfleet United, Maidstone United (three spells), Concord Rangers (three spells), Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Stenhousemuir, Hemel Hempstead Town, Dartford and Tonbridge Angels.
The most impressive signing is former professional Doug Loft. The 34 year old midfielder has played in the football league for Brighton & HA, Dagenham & Redbridge, Port Vale, Gillingham, Colchester United and Shrewsbury Town. He has recently been with Billericay Town and Tonbridge Angels. He has played 296 football league games so brings with him a huge amount of experience.
The Gate host a Gillingahm XI on Wednesday before Guildford City visit on Saturday. A crowd of 484 saw them beat Sheppey United last Saturday with Dan Thompson one of the goal-scorers.
The best news for the club and The Town is that planning permission for the redevelopment of Hartsdown Park which will see the ground completely transformed from it's present appearance.
MERSTHAM
POTTERS BAR TOWN
The Scholars manager Lee O'Leary has added Rob Ursell to his coaching staff for the forthcoming season. The former Northwood manager and AFC Wimbledon player joins as a first team coach.
Former Enfield Town and St Albans City midfielder Scott Shulton has joined - His last club was Hayes and Yeading United. He will play in midfield with former Wingate and Finchley player Charlie Edwards who has also played for Harlow Town, Hertford Town and Waltham Abbey.
Goalkeeper Hafed Al-Droubi has followed Ursell from Northwood. He played for Besiktas at under 19 level before playing for Luton Town, Fulham, Chesham United, Harrow Borough, Banbury United and Sutton United in England as well as Manchester 62 in Gibraltar.
After finishing 16th followed by 13th and 15th positions in the curtailed seasons The Scholars could cause a few surprises this season.
WINGATE & FINCHLEY
The new era of Manager Marc Weatherstone and Director of Football Ahmet Rifat will look to improve on The Blues 19th, 20th* and 16th* recent finishes after 5th and 9th placed finishes in 2016/17 and 2017/18. The appointments of two club legends will no doubt have gone down a storm with the loyal W&F faithful.
Former Enfield Town player Lee Protheroe will continue in his role as first team coach. He took the club's young development team to win the 2021 Herts Senior County Premier Division Cup in May with a 3-2 win over Ware Sports after they had been 2-0 at half time and were down to 10 men on 65 minutes when their goalkeeper Finn Rushton was red carded - No goalkeeper was on the bench so an outfield player went in goal!
33 year old defender/midfielder has crossed the North London divide (that Weatherstone knows well) by moving from Enfield Town. He will bring much experience to the side having played for Stevenage, Grimsby Town, AFC Wimbledon and Aldershot Town amongst other clubs.
The Blues games against The Towners are always hotly contested and there will be some added spice this season with Weatherstone now in charge of W&F.
* denotes curtailed seasons.
WORTHING
Worthing's record over the two curtailed seasons was the best in the league by far with a record of 28 wins in 42 games. Of course we'll never know but in the 19/20 campaign it was looking very much like they would of won the title and been promoted to Step Two of the non-league ladder.
The Mackerel Men's squad has been improved with a number of signings. Goalkeeper Harrison Male, 20, was with Leeds United up until 2020 playing in their u18 and u23 sides - Following his departure from Elland Road he played six times for Gateshead in The Vanarama North last season. He has represented England at u15, u16 and u17 level.
Adam Hinshelwood has also picked up defender Will Seager, 23, from Leatherhead. He has been one of the stand out players for The Tanners over the past few seasons making over 100 appearances for them.
Former Captain Kane Wills will also officially return to the club in August on a season long loan from Vanarama South side Dorking Wanderers. He left Worthing in 2017 joining Eastbourne Borough and then Wanderers. He has also played for Bognor Regis Town, Margate and Ebbsfleet United coming through the academy ranks of Brighton & HA.
Winger/Midfielder Dean Cox has joined from Eastbourne Borough and brings with him a huge amount of experience. The 33 year old is most well known for his time with Brighton & HA and Leyton Orient making 399 appearances in the football league.
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