Soccer Shorts: Father and Son take charge of Bexley Borough

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BEXLEY BOROUGH, who finished in last place in the Haart of Kent County League Division Two West last season, have unveiled a new club structure to replace owner Liam Kelly.

Tony Boorman has been successful in his bid to take the reins at the Bexleyheath based club.  His wife, Sharon, will take over as club secretary, while a father and son management duo, Peter and Chris Sundborg take over in the dug-out.

“It’s well documented that this was my last season in charge of Bexley Borough,” Mr Kelly said in a statement posted on the club’s website.

“I had a few options from various areas and disciplines in south east London and Kent football and I believe Tony and his fellow committee will have the best interests of the club at heart and will also offer the most longevity from all the other interested parties.  I am very happy with the new team coming in.”

Speaking about the club’s new management team, Mr Kelly added: “Chris had a promising career in Kent football until injury halted his progress.  The duo come into Bexley Borough after enjoying two successful seasons of management within the district leagues.  Their recent success and their obvious enthusiasm was a major factor in the decision to appoint this team.”

Mr Kelly’s affiliation with the club will still stand, however, in a much more subdued role.

BREDHURST JUNIORS, who play in the Haart of Kent County League Premier, are searching for new players’ to attend pre-season training.  The Upchurch based club are also looking for teams to play in pre-season.  The club have pitches available every Saturday and Wednesday between 21 July and 4 August.  For further details please contact Richie Radbourne on 07720 716 294.

CONEY HALL have denied former manager Chris Tucker, 35, an opportunity to take over as director of football at the Tiepigs Lane club’s recent annual general meeting.  Tucker was in charge of team affairs between September 2001 and February 2006 before stepping down after the club’s ambitions didn’t meet his own.  Since leaving the Combined Counties League to switch to the Kent County League the club’s fortunes have nosedived and Tucker had a plan to turn things around in a director of football role.  The former Warlingham manager warned, “That club will go out of existence! It’s that bad down there!  There are certain people at this club who don’t want us there.”

DARTFORD are waiting to find out if they will keep captain Elliot Bradbrook for next season.

The midfielder is the only player yet to agree terms at Princes Park, with Jacob Erskine expected to sign in the coming days.

Manager Tony Burman told BBC Radio Kent: "The bottom line is I want Elliot Bradbrook to be with us next season.

"I want Elliot to stay but it's a big ask of some players to do that.

"He's been excellent for us. I felt he was one of - if not the best - midfielder in the Conference South."

Bradbrook joined the Darts in 2009 from Maidstone United, and was instrumental in their promotion via the Blue Square Bet South play-offs, scoring 14 league goals.

Dartford are expected to remain a part-time club in Blue Square Bet Premier, placing greater pressure on training and travelling.

Any deal would therefore have to suit both player and club according to Burman.

"Both parties have got to be happy with what is being put on the table and being happy to be able to do the travelling in the Conference Premier," he said.

"I want Elliot to stay but it's a big ask of some players to do that with what we'll have to do next year. They have to have a kind boss."

Dartford announced their retained list on Tuesday, releasing Paul Goodacre, Richard Graham and Matt Jones, with Bradbrook and Erskine the only players offered contracts yet to put pen to paper.

Burman confirmed that striker Erskine had agreed to the deal and would sign a contract on his return from a break on Sunday or Monday.

The Dartford manager also sought to clarify the confusion surrounding the release of midfielder Goodacre, who denied being released due to work commitments as the club initially announced .

"Unfortunately Paul is in Australia at the moment for three weeks," Burman stated.

"Paul wasn't offered terms next year. For convenience, I texted him to say that Richard and Matt couldn't commit because of work commitments.

"I said it would be better on the eye to put in about his work commitments but we hadn't actually spoken about them.

"He agreed, I went to the press with it and after that he felt that other Conference Premier clubs might think that he couldn't do things because of work."

He concluded: "Paul's a good lad and I can't fault his commitment but you have to make difficult decisions.

"It's difficult when somebody is out in Australia to phone him and tell him the bad news. We both agree it wasn't the right way but there's nothing else that we could do."


DOVER ATHLETIC manager Nicky Forster says he is enjoying putting his own stamp on the first-team squad.

Forster led the Whites to seventh place in Blue Square Bet South last season after being appointed in September.

He told BBC Radio Kent: "I had to play with the hand that was dealt to me last season. I did make some additions but next season is where I'll be judged.

"I'm comfortable with where the squad is going at present. It's starting to take shape quite nicely."

He added: "We will have a lot more time to mould the team now because we'll get players in to play specifically how we want to play."

Forster has been re-building his squad over the past three weeks, having released eight players last month.

He has so far brought in goalkeeper Mitch Walker, defender Daniel Webb, and midfielders Steven Thompson, Dean Rance and Ricky Modeste to Crabble, and Forster will now turn his attentions to bolstering his strike force.

"We've re-signed Billy Bricknell, our leading scorer from last season," the 38-year-old former Reading and Brighton striker continued.

"We are looking to strengthen in that area and we are working hard.

"The only thing with centre forwards and those players who have got the ability to put the ball in the back of the net, is that everyone wants them.

"We have a number of targets and we're hoping to make some moves over the next fortnight. If we can find that cutting edge up front, we will be in and around the promotion-chasing teams."

FOLKESTONE INVICTA have appointed Richard Murrill as their new club secretary.

MARGATE have snapped up goalkeeper Craig Holloway, 27 following his release from Welling United and the stopper joins John Beales, Matt Bodkin, Dean Pooley and Curtis Robinson under contract at Hartsdown Park next season.

MILTON & FULSTON UNITED are looking for an experienced management team to take the clubs first team forward.  The club currently play in the Haart of Kent County League Division One.  The club wish to appoint a committed and enthusiastic team to progress the team in the right direction.  Applicants must be at least Level 1 qualified (coaching) and will need to be willing to achieve Level 2 within their first season.  To apply please email dave.warren@miltonandfulston.com.

WELLING UNITED have confirmed that they have signed striker Kiernan Hughes-Mason.  The 20-year-old was released at the end of last season after scoring two goals in eleven games for Blue Square Bet (Conference) Premier side Grimsby Town.  He has previously played for Millwall and Kettering Town.  He has a chance of a good run of games playing alongside Luis Cumbers and new signing, Jon Main, who arrives at Park View Road following his release from Welling’s Blue Square Bet South rivals Tonbridge Angels last month.

Main feels he has a point to prove after recovering from a knee ligament injury.

The striker missed the second half of last season and was released from Longmead Stadium at the end of the campaign.

The 31-year-old told BBC Radio Kent: "I started running a couple of weeks ago and the knee feels alright.

"I want to prove a few people wrong. I need to get my head down, score a few goals and get my name in the paper."

Main continued: "I had a bad year last year and I expected to get released. I understand why but I've just got to put that behind me now and work hard in pre-season."

The former AFC Wimbledon and Dartford frontman will replace player-of-the-season Loick Pires at Park View Road, after the latter joined newly-promoted Blue Square Bet Premier side Woking, along with skipper Jack Parkinson.

Main will link up with another former Dons striker, Luis Cumbers, at Welling but said player-manager Jamie Day was the main reason behind his decision to join the Park View Road club.

"I've played against him a few times and I know a few players and nobody has anything but good things to say about him.

"As soon as I got released he got in contact but I'm going to have to battle (for a place). He promised me that I'd enjoy it and he'd get me scoring goals again," Main added.

WHITSTABLE TOWN have confirmed Dan Wisker has re-signed for the club - his fifth season at Belmont Road.
  
WOODSTOCK SPORTS have revealed the plans that they have put in place to improve facilities at their ground at Woodstock Park, Broadoak Road, Sittingbourne.

A club statement posted on www.woodstocksports.co.uk said: “Last summer saw the installation of the ground's floodlights. The floodlights are now erected upon four pylons and are of a standard that allows use up to Football Conference. The club also changed its name from Norton Sports to Woodstock Sports. The name change reflected the clubs re-location back to the Sittingbourne area and to Woodstock.

“Plans have been put in place to start the pitch renovations. We have arranged for vertidraining, the laying down of 40 tonnes of top dressing and full over seeding, hopefully the weather holds fair to us and come pre-season we will have a pitch to be proud of.

“Once the FA funding is agreed there will be a covered stand behind goal on the south side of the pitch where the temporary stand is with 150 spectator seats. If and when expansion is required in the future, then the capacity on the south side of the pitch can be increased to 300 under current planning permission. The aim is to have this done during close season. There will also be covered terracing for 50 people towards the north end of the pitch on the clubhouse side of the ground.

“Other developments on the Woodstock scene include the start-up of a youth section with an under 7 side, this is a big step forward and one we hope will be the start of bigger things to come.”

The Football Association have confirmed that SURREY club Whyteleafe have been accepted into the Kent League next season following their relegation from the Ryman League.  The Kent League have confirmed that they will only accept player registration forms after 1 July and that they have secured a three-year deal with Macron to supply benchwear to all member clubs.

Article published: 22:20 – Friday 1 June 2012