THE BEST SIGNINGS FOR THE ISTHMIAN PREMIER DIVISION 23/24 SEASON.....SO FAR

The fixtures for the Isthmian League season will be released this Thursday (13th July) at around 2pm and in the build up to the season I take a look at who I think are the best signings for the Premier Division clubs so far. It looks set to be a highly competitive and exciting season - Get down and support your local club if you can! 

1) TOM BENDER - BILLERICAY TOWN 

The 30 year old defender brings with him much experience to The Blues. He spent 2015 to 2022 with St Albans City and has also played in the football league for Colchester United, Accrington Stanley and Millwall. He spent last season with Hanworth Villa who finished in fourth place of the Isthmian League South-Central Division before losing in the play-off final to Walton and Hersham. He has also been capped up to under 21 level for Wales. 

He made 250 appearances during his time with The Saints where he was Supporters’ Player of the Season in 16/17, Player's Player of the Season 16/17 and the Young Saints’ Player of the Season 17/18.

2) ADE AZEEZ - BILLERICAY TOWN 

This will be the first time in his career that Azeez will play at step three of the non-league ladder. He started his career in the Charlton Athletic academy where he became a full time professional in 2012 but was unable to break into the first team spending time on loan with Wycombe Wanderers, Leyton Orient, Torquay United and Dagenham & Redbridge prior to a move to AFC Wimbledon in 2014.

He went on to play for Partick Thistle, Cambridge United and Newport County before dropping into the non-league game with Dover Athletic in 2020. He was capped by England at u19 level on three occasions.

As you can see his strike rate increased by a substantial figure when he played in the Vanarama South something I'm sure manager Gary McCann is hoping he'll continue in the forthcoming season. 

Football League appearances - 165/15 goals 

Scottish Premiers appearances -38/2 goals

Vanarama National appearances - 16/3 goals 

Vanarama South appearances - 78/26 goals 

3) MATT JOHNSON - BILLERICAY TOWN 

One of the signings of the summer - Johnson was a big part of the Bishop's Stortford midfield who won the Premier Division last season making 44 appearances for The Blues. The 33 year old brings with him a huge amount of experience having played for Braintree Town, Chelmsford City and Enfield Town amongst other clubs. It's Johnson's second spell with Billericay Town having previously been with the club from November 2016 to July 2016. 

4) KWAKU FRIMPONG - CARSHALTON ATHLETIC 

A 20 year old tough tackling midfielder who was recently released by League Two side AFC Wimbledon where he had been since the age of 16. He failed to break into the first team with The Dons and spent time on loan with Leatherhead, Dartford, Potters Bar Town, Met Police as well as Carshalton Athletic over the past two seasons. 

5) QUADE TAYLOR - CARSHALTON ATHLETIC 

Taylor left Dulwich Hamlet in May having been with the South London side since 2016. The defender began his career with Hamlet in their academy side before a move to Crystal Palace in 2012 - He joined Bolton Wanderers in 2014 before moving back into non-league football for a short spell with Braintree Town and then back to Champion Hill in 2016. 

6) RASHID YUSUFF - CHATHAM TOWN 

Chatham Town, who have been promoted twice in as many seasons and I think they will surprise a few teams this season especially at home where they will have some big crowds. 

They have made a number of signings with their most interesting one being 33 year old midfielder/winger Rashid Yusuff who started his career with Charlton Athletic but it most well known for his time with AFC Wimbledon between 2010 to 2013 who he helped to promotion into the football league. He was capped by England at u16, u17 and u18 levels. He more recently has been playing abroad in Malta, Poland and Iceland. He was part of the Arka Gdynia side who won the second tier Polish I-liga in 15/16. 

7) FIN TITCHMARSH - CHESHUNT 

Titchmarsh is a 20 year old right back who has played for the academy sides at Barnet before joining Ware, Royston Town and Potters Bar Town. He was manager's and supporter's players of the season with The Scholars last season where he made 51 appearances scoring 6 goals. 

8) FRANKIE RAYMOND - CRAY WANDERERS 

A 30 year old with huge amounts of experience to bring to The Wands midfield. He started his career with Reading and Gillingham before dropping into the non-league game with Eastbourne Borough in 2012. He played under current Wand's boss Neil Smith at Bromley between 2016 to 2021 whereby be joined Boreham Wood for the 21/22 season.

He played in the 2018 FA Trophy Final for Bromley and also in Boreham Wood's famous 2022 FA Cup Fourth Round victory at AFC Bournemouth and their subsequent Firth Round game at Everton. 

He made 41 appearances for Dulwich Hamlet in the Vanarama South last season. 

9) JAMIE MASCOLL - CRAY WANDERERS 

A left back who spent the 21/22 season in non-league's top division with Wealdstone before playing for Lewes and Hornchurch last season. He joined The Urchins in March and featured in their play-off semi-final win over Cray Wanderers as well as the final versus Aveley. He rejoins the club he played in the youth teams for and a spell on loan from Dulwich Hamlet in 2016. 

He moved to Charlton Athletic in 2017 but never broke into the first team joining Wycombe Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers before a short spell in Ireland with Waterford. 

10) GEORGE PORTER - CRAY WANDERERS 

Another player to join his old Bromley manager Neil Smith is the experienced midfielder George Porter who also featured in the 2018 FA Trophy FInal.  he returns to the club he started his career with in 2009. He went on to play in the football league for Leyton Orient, Colchester United, AFC Wimbledon, Rochdale and Dagenham & Redbridge. Between 2012 to 2014 he was with Burnley who were then a Championship side but never made a first team appearance. The attacking midfielder has been with Dartford, Maidstone United and Dulwich Hamlet over the past three seasons. He netted 12 league goals for Hamlet last season! 

11) MARK RICKETTS - DULWICH HAMLET 

Ricketts, 38, brings with him a vast amount of experience. The defender has been with Boreham Wood since 2016 and prior to that played for Woking, Ebbsfleet United, MK Dons and Charlton Athletic where he started his career. He made 5 football league appearances whilst with the MK Dons in 05/06. He has played over 400 games in non-league's top division, won the FA Trophy in 2008 whilst with Ebbsfleet United (he was on the sub's bench in the game versus Torquay United at Wembley Stadium) and scored Boreham Wood's famous goal in their FA Cup Fourth Round victory at AFC Bournemouth in 2022. His final game for the Hertfordshire team was the dramatic 3-2 play-off defeat at Notts County at the beginning of May. 

12) JEROME BINNOM-WILLIAMS - DULWICH HAMLET 

Left back Binnom-Williams re-unites with his former Maidstone United boss Hakan Hayrettin. The 28 year old started his career with Crystal Palace where he was a full time professional from 2013 to 2016 spending time on loan with Forest Green Rovers, Southend United, Burton Albion and Leyton Orient whilst at Selhurst Park. He moved on to Peterborough United in 2016 and subsequently played for Chesterfield, FC Halifax Town and Barnet before joining Maidstone in 2021 whom he helped to the 21/22 Vanarama South title. 

13) KYLE BAILEY - ENFIELD TOWN 

29 year old centre-back who has played in Scotland for Peterhead, in Norway for Nybersund and Malta for San Gwann as well as playing for Met Police, Sheerwater and Westfields in England. He spent last season with Vanarama South side Hungerford Town. 

14) REECE BECKLES-RICHARDS - ENFIELD TOWN 

The 27 year old forward joins Enfield Town from arch rival's Cheshunt - He had spent the past three seasons with The Ambers. He has also played for another one of Town's rival's Wingate & Finchley during his career. For older fans of football in Enfield he has also played for Woking and Wealdstone! 

Has one international cap for Antigua and Barbuda which came back in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in 2015 against St Lucia. Netted 14 goals in 35 league games for Cheshunt during their 21/22 Isthmian Premier Division play-off winning season. 

15) MICKEY PARCELL - ENFIELD TOWN 

Enfield Town fans were thrilled to see Mickey return to his home town club this summer. The highly talented right back has been with Hornchurch since 2019 whom he helped to their famous 2021 FA Trophy win and was, like at Donkey Lane, very popular amongst fans. He was with Town previously between 2015 to 2019  where he made 193 appearances and counts Torquay United as a former club. He has been named in the Isthmian Premier team of the year for the last two seasons.  

16) ANDY DRURY - FOLKESTONE INVICTA 

An interesting signing - Drury certainly has much experience!  It was a busy 2022 for him as played for Invicta and then went on to manage both Whitstable Town and Margate before helping Chatham Town to the Isthmian South-East title making a number of appearances for them towards the end of the 22/23 season. During his career he also played for Sittingbourne (2 spells), Gravesend & Northfleet/Ebbsfleet United (2 spells), Lewes, Stevenage Borough, Luton Town  (2 spells), Ipswich Town, Crawley Town, Eastleigh, Havant & Waterlooville and Cray Wanderers. He has taken a roll of player/coach at Cheriton Road. 

17) JAKE GOODMAN - FOLKESTONE INVICTA 

A 29 year old experienced centre-back who moves from Dover Athletic where he has spent the last two seasons. Started his career with Millwall and has also played for Margate, Braintree Town, Maidenhead United, Ebbsfleet United and Bromley. The 23/24 season will be Goodman's first at Step Three of the non-league ladder. 

Football League appearances - 14/1 goal 

Vanarama National League appearances - 155/9 goals 

Vanarama South League appearances - 97/7 goals 

18) DAVID SMITH - FOLKESTONE INVICTA 

Smith returns to Cheriton Road for an undisclosed fee from Vanarama National League side Bromley. The centre forward bagged an impressive 41 goals in 72 appearances in his previous spell with the club from 2020 to 2022.  His move to Bromley unfortunately didn't work out with loan spells at AFC Hornchurch (8 appearances and 2 goals), Margate (4 appearances) and Hastings United (22 appearances and 6 goals) last season. He made one National League appearance for The Ravens coming on as a late substitute at Maidenhead United.  The Invicta fans will be very excited about this signing!

19) ARTHUR IONTTON - HARINGEY BOROUGH 

Iontton, 22, was born locally and started his career in the Stevenage FC academy graduating to be a full time professional with Boro.  He was named League Two apprentice of the 2018/19 season - during his time with the Hertfordshire side he made 29 appearances in League Two from 2017 to 2021. He was with Kings Lynn Town for the 21/22 season where he made only three appearances before joining Hendon for the 22/23 campaign where he made 44 appearances. Saturday 13th April 2019 is a date Arthur will remember well as he scored his only football league goal (so far!) when he his goal helped Stevenage to a 3-0 home win over Carlisle United. 

Football League appearances - 29/1 goal 

Vanarama National League appearances - 3/0 goals 

Vaanrama South appearances - 4/0 goals 

20) SAK HASSAN - HASHTAG UNITED 

The skilful and pacey midfielder/winger had a stand out season for AFC Sudbury during the 22/23 campaign. He scored 11 goals for the Isthmian North runner's up. Just 22 years old he moved to England from Holland as a youngster and played youth football for QPR, Tottenham Hotspur, Saffron Walden Town and Leyton Orient. He started his senior career in the Essex Olympian League with Springfield before short spells with Hornchurch, Rebridge and Barking before his move to the Suffolk side in 2021. He has two International caps for Somalia scoring one goal in the AFCON qualifier versus Eswatini in March 2022. 

21) SULEYMAN ZUDHU - HASHTAG UNITED 

28 year old centre-forward who bagged 14 goals in 17 Premier Division games for Brightlingsea Regent last season. Also scored 10 in 17 games for Essex Senior League side Buckhurst Hill prior to his move to Regent. 

In the 21/22 season he netted 41 goals in 41 games as he helped Buckhurst Hill to promotion from Step Six. 

He clearly knows where the goal is and will certainly net some goals for the newly promoted Tags in 23/24! 

22) CHARLIE GRAINGER - HASTINGS UNITED 

Grainger, 26, joins The Us after four seasons with Dulwich Hamlet. He was born in Enfield and started his career in the youth ranks of Norwich City and Leyton Orient. He was a full time professional with The O's from 2012 to 2019 and was capped for England at under 18 level. 

23) NATHAN GREEN - HORNCHURCH 

Green started his career in the academy/youth teams of Charlton Athletic before playing for Billericay Town, Tonbridge Angels, Dagenham & Redbridge, Margate, Welling United and Dulwich Hamlet before joining Folkestone Invicta where he scored 6 goals in 46 games during the 22/23 campaign earning a place in the Isthmian team of the season.

24) RYAN SCOTTT - HORNCHURCH 

Scott has been with Aveley for the last two seasons helping them to promotion from Step Four to Step Two - He made 82 appearances for the Essex side netting 14 times. Impressive numbers! He scored the winner in the play-off final against The Urchins last season and joined his new team mate Green in the Isthmian Premier Division team of the season. Has also played for Barnet, Wingate & Finchley, Billericay Town, East Thurrock United, Braintree Town and Concord Rangers. 

25) JAMES HAMMOND - HORSHAM 

The 26 year old midfielder joins from Eastbourne Borough. He made his senior debut as a 16 year old for Peacehaven & Telscombe before joining Lewes where he made nearly 200 appearances. He had been with Borough since 2020 

26) SAMI EL-ABD - HORSHAM 

The 35 year old central-defender joins after a very successful spell with Dorking Wanderers where he has been since 2018. Has also played for Peacehaven & Telscombe, Bognor Regis Town, Whitehawk, Chelmsford City, Hayes & Yeading United, Lewes and Team Bath. 

27) LEWIS CAREY - HORSHAM 

One of the most impressive goalkeepers in the Premier Division in recent seasons. He has been in his second spell with Lewes since 2021 and counts Cray Wanderers, Thamesmead Town, Eastbourne Borough, Tonbridge Angels and Bromley after starting his career with Bristol City. He made 94 appearances for Lewes over the past two seasons. 

28) ALFIE EGAN - LEWES 

Alfie spent last season with Dorking Wanderers where he made 13 appearances. The midfielder, 25, stated his career with AFC Wimbledon where he made 12 League One appearances from 2016 to 2019. He was with Ebbsfleet United from 2019 to 2022 so has much experience of playing at a higher level. 

29) ARTHUR PENNEY - LEWES 

Penney, 20, was released from Championship side Millwall this summer. The commanding centre-back captained Millwall u21s and spent some of the 21/22 season on loan with Welling United where he played 19 games and scored one goal. 

30) KEIRAN MURTAGH - LEWES 

A 34 year old midfielder with lots of experience who joins The Rooks following his departure from Vanarama South side Dartford. He has made 56 football league appearances, 126 National South appearances and 333 National League appearances during his career. He counts Fisher Athletic, Yeovil Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Woking, Cambridge United, Macclesfield Town, Mansfield Town and Boreham Wood as former clubs. He got 22 full International caps for Antigua and Barbuda from 2010 to 2106 scoring 5 times. 

31) JOHNNY ALOTEY - POTTERS BAR TOWN 

Speedy and skilful left footed winger who came through the academy ranks of Hitchin Town. He played in the first team for The Canaries before moving to Harrow Borough last season where he played 23 times and scored 4 goals. 

32) PRESTON EDWARDS - POTTERS BAR TOWN 

Edwards, 33, joins The Scholars after a spell with Cheshunt FC. A very experienced goalkeeper who is most well known for his time with Ebbsfleet United (2010 to 2016) and Dulwich Hamlet from 2016 to 2020. 

33) SHAUN SAUNDERS - WHITEHAWK 

Striker Shaun Saunders has spent the last four seasons with Hastings United. He scored nine league goals for them last season and has also played for Worthing, Burgess Hill Town and Lewes. During the 21/22 season he netted 22 goals for Hastings United. 

34) BRENDAN SHABANI - WINGATE & FINCHLEY 

21 year old left footed midfielder who came through the academy ranks at Leyton Orient. He helped Aveley to two successive promotions in the past two seasons making 55 appearances for the Essex side.