Soccer Shorts: Whitstable Town sign Hessenthaler from Gillingham

BROMLEY have today unveiled the signing of forward Michael Malcolm from Lewes.

The 26-year-old signed for Lewes from Farnborough in July 2011 and scored 13 goals in 36 appearances for The Rooks.

Malcolm spent time at Wycombe Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur at youth level before joining Stockport County, where he made his League debut in 2005.

His former clubs include Kettering Town, Rushden & Diamonds, Weymouth and Crawley Town.

Meanwhile, the club are also delighted to confirm that attacker Pierre Joseph-Dubois, has signed a contract keeping him at Hayes Lane until the end of the 2012-13 season.

He joined Bromley from Blue Square Bet Premier side Hayes & Yeading United having made 21 starts for the west London side this season and can play out wide or up front.

Meanwhile, midfielder, Danny Waldren, says he is ready to fight to ensure the club maintain their Blue Square Bet South status.

The Ravens ended a miserable run of sixteen games without a win when they came away from Weston-super-Mare with a morale boosting 3-0 win last Saturday and welcome Havant & Waterlooville to Hayes Lane tomorrow.

Waldren told www.bromleyfc.net: “To be honest it felt amazing.  With the recent run of results it’s been so overdue and to win 3-0 felt absolutely amazing.  It’ll be a massive lift for the boys and I really feel we have turned the corner now.  After not winning for so long, to score three and keep a clean sheet is a great boost for everyone.”

Waldren recently turned down a move to a fellow Blue Square Bet South side and explained his reasons for staying at Hayes Lane.

“There were many reasons to stay if I’m honest,” he said.  “I was out of football for so long and it didn’t look like I was going anywhere in the summer and Bromley came along and gave me a lifeline.  For that, I’ve got to show loyalty, especially with the situation we’re currently in.

“If I was out on the streets and a friend gets into a fight and is losing, you don’t run away, and that’s the same with the situation we’re in.

“I love the players and the manager, Mark Goldberg’s great, everyone has been brilliant for me.  It was a fairly easy decision for me, although the club that approached me were in a high place in the league, but I didn’t want to go anywhere because I want to stay and fight to get us into a safe mid-table position.”
 
 EBBSFLEET UNITED have bolstered their squad with highly-rated young Reading striker Gozie Ugwu.

The Oxford-born player, 18, has been a hit in the Reading Academy side – which produced Liam Enver-Marum – and progressed into the Championship club’s reserve team before signing a professional contract last summer.

The loan deal – until March 3 – was clinched on the final day of the transfer window with the Fleet reportedly fighting off the interest of fellow Blue Square Premier side Hayes & Yeading United.

Ugwu will go into the squad for tomorrow’s FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Round trip to York City and extend Liam Daish’s striking options after he lost the services of Scott Ginty and Jamie Darvill recently.
 
 HYTHE TOWN have recalled striker James Dryden from his successful loan spell with Kent Invicta League side Ashford United.

Meanwhile, The two club’s meet each other at Homelands Stadium for a friendly match next Tuesday.
 
MARGATE have snapped up attacker Aaron Quain for his third-spell at Hartsdown Park after the striker left Faversham Town, where he scored nine goals for the Lilywhites this season.

Margate lost striker, Kwesi Appiah, 21, on transfer deadline day, after the former Ebbsfleet United striker signed a two-and-a-half year contract at Championship club Crystal Palace, having turned down a reported move to Blackpool.

Appiah scored 35 goals in 33 starts for Chris Kinnear’s side this season.

He signed a two-year contract at Hartsdown Park in the summer following his release from Blue Square Bet South side Thurrock, who are rooted to the foot of the table.
 
RAMSGATE boss Jim Ward has signed a couple of youngsters Bradley Dack and Jack Parter on loan from Gillingham until the end of the season.

Ward told www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk:   “The Chairmen and I both went up to Welling to watch them play in the Kent Senior Cup when the Wings played against the Gills. It was mainly Gillingham’s youth, both these lads played and both acquitted themselves really well on the night.

“When I was offered them, and everyone knows our squad’s low, I welcomed them.”

With both players coming from the Priestfield Youth set-up the manager stated that he had ‘no adversity against playing anybody who’s young – who’s good enough!’

Ward said: “Jack Parter is an attacking full back who plays right back or left back, plenty of energy, likes to get up and down the line and crosses a good ball. 

“Bradley Dack is an attacking, busy midfield player who likes to put a tackle in and he likes a goal.”

Dack is currently the leading goalscorer in South East Division of the Youth Alliance, with twenty goals in all competitions at all levels this term.
 
 TONBRIDGE ANGELS manager Tommy Warrilow re-signed midfielder Rory Hill from their Blue Square Bet South rivals Bromley last night.

The former Gillingham, Bishop’s Stortford and Lewes winger will be available for selection for tomorrow’s home game against Boreham Wood.

Warrilow told www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk: “Rory’s signing now gives us plenty of options in midfield and up top and will allow our injured forwards time to recover properly.”

Winger, Joe Benjamin (ankle) and striker Ade Olorunda (knee) were withdrawn during Tuesday night’s home Kent Senior Cup Quarter-Final tie against Dartford.

WELLING UNITED  player-manager Jamie Day has signed midfielder Harry Baker and young goalkeeper Yilmaz Aksoy.

Baker arrives at Park View Road from their Blue Square Bet South rivals Dover Athletic, having scored 12 goals from 57 appearances.

Turkish born Akoy has signed on loan from League One outfit Leyton Orient.  He has yet to make his first team debut but he has impressed in youth games so far this season.

Leaving the club, however, is full-back Jack Evans, who has been recalled by Gillingham from his loan spell. 

The youngster played eight games for the Wings, earning himself two clean sheets and an assist.
 
WHITSTABLE TOWN  manager Justin Luchford has unveiled the work-experience signings of the sons of Andy Hessenthaler and Darren Hare from Gillingham.

Luchford has contacted his friend Andy Hessenthaler to bring in his son Jake and Josh Hare from the Gillingham Academy.

Luchford told www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk: “They will both give us a little boost with regards to enthusiasm and fitness. These are two young lads that are looking to get some much needed experience at senior level football.

“At this point of the season all the pro-clubs try to get players out on work experience to help their development. As part of what I hope will be a long relationship with Gillingham, Richard (Langley) and I decided to take two lads on work experience to not only help them, but to strengthen our squad as well, during a time when a lot of our players are returning from injury.

“This will allow us to ensure they recover properly and at the same time keep the strength going within the first team. What I am also hoping is that the young lads that we have at the club can train with these two lads to see the professionalism and what they need to do to get to the next level as well.

“In my opinion, this is a win, win situation, so please join me in welcoming both Jake and Josh to the club. As you might have realised from their names, Jake is the son of the manager Andy, and Josh is the son of Darren Hare who heads up the academy at Gillingham. Both are personal friends of mine and we have always had a decent working relationship in all the clubs I have been at.”

Meanwhile, the Isthmian Football League have issued the following statement concerning CROYDON ATHLETIC.
 
“At their meeting last week the board of directors of the League considered the position of this club. The club had confirmed that they wished to resign from the League and this would take effect at the end of the season.

“The club had also indicated that it had ceased to carry on its business. This is part of the definition of “Insolvency Event” in the Rules of the League and the Board decided that an Insolvency Event had occurred.

“Accordingly the club has been deducted 10 points and their League record so far this season will be expunged. Further, the balance of the Bond held with the League will be forfeited to the League and each club in Division One South which has not played Croydon Athletic FC at home this season will be paid the sum of £250 as a recompense.

“The balance of funds after deduction of these payments and the deduction of all monies due to the League will be put into general League Funds and utilised in purchasing additional footballs. These will then be sold on to clubs at a reduced price. In this way all clubs can benefit from the unfortunate situation.”