After what has been an enjoyable pre-season campaign, I must admit I am very much looking forward to getting into the ‘proper stuff’ tommorow against Walton & Hersham.
Overall, I feel we have had a pleasing pre-season campaign, picking up some good results and putting in some good performances. However we had a good pre-season last season and had a bad start, so must make sure this doesn’t happen again. We have played some good football and it is important as we go into the competitive fixtures that we continue in this vein.
As reported on the website last night, we have finally made a decision with regards to the goalkeeping situation with Charlie Mitten signing up. To be honest if Charlie had not got injured last year it would have been an easy decision to make, however he has done enough to prove his fitness this summer and we are happy to have him on board. Charlie will also take up the mantle of goalkeeper coach, and has already put on some good sessions and I am sure he will do a lot to help Deren Ibrahim develop his game.
We also had to take in some budgetary considerations, and to be able to get a reserve goalkeeper and a coach in one is beneficial, unfortunately this means we have had to say goodbye to Alan Rogers who has been a good servant to the club and is a lovely fella.
Of course with Charlie signing Scott Chalmers-Stevens has left the club. Scott did nothing wrong while he was here and put in some good performances, however these are the sort of tough decisions that you have to make as a manager.
In other player news, trialists Baff Addae and Tamer Tuna have both moved on from the club. I believe Baff is now training with Crawley Down and Tamer has gone to Cray Wanderers.
Additionally we have sent Lewis Mingle out to Erith & Belvedere to get some match time. Much like Alex Waugh, who has got five goals in three matches for Canterbury City, we like Lewis and want to keep hold of him, however it is important he gets some match time because Tom Mills is not putting a foot wrong at the moment.
Millsy has spent the last week with Charlton training with their under 21 development squad (which has replaced the reserves under the new EPPP rules) and I know he has enjoyed his time there. I spoke to Charlton today (Friday) and he will be spending some time next week training with their first team.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s match, Ian Draycott (ankle), Gavin Greenfield (army) and Steve Ward (holiday) are missing, and will probably be joined on the sidelines by Danny Lye who has a slight knee problem.
