In early June the club was taken over by Simon Leslie who is the co-founder and owner of travel media company Ink. The Community Interest Company (CIC) who have been at the helm in recent years will retain a minority stake in the running of the club.
Shortly after the take over Manager Danny Bloor left the club and is now in charge of divisional rival's Welling United. He had been in charge for three and a half years.
The new boss is Mark Beard who had been head of coaching at Dorking Wanders. He has also spent four years as academy coach at Brighton & Hove Albion between 2017 to 2021. He has managed Loxwood, Tooting and Mitcham United and Haywards Heath Town after a successful playing career with Millwall, Sheffield United, Southend United, Kingstonian, Stevenage Borough, Kingstonian, San Pedro (Spain) and AFC Wimbledon. He has also spent brief spells as Assistant Manager at both St Albans City and Stockport County.
The club will be moving to a full-time status for the forthcoming season.
Former Aston Villa u23 and Republic of Ireland u21 International Midfielder Jack Clarke, 24, has singed from National League side Chesterfield having spent the second half of the 22/23 season on loan with Yeovil Town.
Jack Paxman, 29, is another midfielder to move to Priory Lane. He joins from Ebbsfleet United having spent March to May on loan with Worthing last season. He has also played for Dover Athletic, Braintree Town, Billericay Town, Maidstone United, East Thurrock United, Witham Town, Thurrock, Chelmsford City, Histon and Soham Town Rangers. He started his career in the academy system of Southend United.
Centre Back Alex Finney has moved from Ebbsfleet United. The 27 year old started his career at Leyton Orient and also played for Bolton Wanderers and QPR before dropping into non-league with Maidstone United and Aldershot Town before his two year spell with The Fleet. He made 9 league appearances last season.
Brad Barry will be Club Captain for the 23/24 season having made 32 league appearances last season. The 28 year old has 131 football league appearances to his name with Barrow AFC, Stevenage, Chesterfield and Swindon Town and has also played in non-league's top division with Dover Athletic, Barrow and Chesterfield.
Midfielder James Hammond who joined from Lewes in 2020, Striker Greg Luer (joined from Woking in 2019) and Mitchell Dickenson (from Hemel Hempstead Town in 2020) have left the club as they are unable to commit to being full time.
I'm sure more signings will follow over the next month or so.
At present there are three pre-season games arranged against Aldershot Town (Sat 8th July), Charlton Athletic XI (Sat 22nd July) and AFC Wimbledon XI (Sat 29th July) all of which take place at Priory Lane.
Where do you think the South-Coast side will finish in the table for the 23/24 season?
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