Ward feels "really positive" on player front

The Thanet side, who lost at Staines Town in the Ryman Premier League play-off semi-finals, have lost goalkeeper Paul Wilkerson, who is expected to retire, and three players to newly promoted neighbours Dover Athletic.

Full-back Dean Hill, central defender Ollie Schulz and midfielder Sam Jones, who was only playing Sunday League football in March, have penned deals at Crabble.

But Ward has brought in goalkeeper Jack Delo, from Kent League side Herne Bay, his former team-mate, defender Stephen Lloyd from Whitstable Town and striker Mo Takaloo returns after three seasons at Maidstone United.

Ward, who also guided the club to Ryman League Cup glory with a penalty shoot-out win over AFC Sudbury at Dartford‘s Princes Park, asks fans to keep patient as the close season is only nearly three weeks old.

“As usual we come to that time of the season when speculation is rife,” Ward
told www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk.

“People want to know what is happening on the player front, what is happening on the friendly front and generally want to know what is happening about everything.

"It is a bit too early for doing all this, as not everything is finalised, but I wanted to put peoples' minds at ease that this club will still be one of the most senior clubs in Kent."

Southwood Stadium will be transformed during the close season with two covered stands going in behind each goal.

Ward said: "By the time the pre-season friendlies are taking place the ground will look completely different with the new enclosures behind the goals.

“It will be great for the supporters, I know they've been looking for a place to really bang it out, so that will be super for them and the atmosphere will improve, and that will move onto the pitch and the players will benefit from the extra noise that the supporters can make.

"Another reason a lot of people want to know what is going on because of how far the club has come in the last few years.

“We've made a massive improvement last year and hopefully that continues next year. We have been averaging 300-400 supporters at home, which is still not enough to keep the money flowing through the club, but we've made a massive improvement on fans and hopefully that will continue again next year."

Ward revealed about the comings and goings so far this May.

"On the player front I feel really positive,” said Ward. “The big man, Paul Wilkerson, was never sure if was going to retire or not, so I was worried that he may decide to stop after the season had started, and I'd be left in No-Man's land.

"When he stood in, Shaun Alliston for me did really, really well and surprised a lot of people, and in the back of my mind I kept thinking "Can he be my 1^st team goalkeeper?"

"But then I got the chance to sign Jack Delo from Herne Bay, a ‘keeper I've always admired, and who I tried to sign 4 years ago when he was 18.

"But now I've got him he has signed a two year deal, as has Shaun, and they will be fighting for the ‘keeper's shirt - I think they are both good ‘keepers.

"Another lad that I've been after for a few years is big Steven Lloyd. I like him, he's a ‘no nonsense' centre half, heads it away for fun and clears his lines.

"Perhaps not the greatest passer of the ball but I'm not asking for that, as centre halves don't have to do that they have to defend and he's a good defender.

"The other one I've signed on another two year deal is what I feel we've been missing for some time. We've made all this progress but our leading goal scorer this year only scored 12 goals - we've done it all without a main man scoring loads of goals.

"So I've bitten the bullet, and to be fair a couple of players have asked me to get this boy, so I've re-signed Mo Takaloo. He got 16 goals for Maidstone and started half the games from the bench. I thought he played ever so well against us for Maidstone, Olly couldn't handle him, and again he's signed a 2 year contract.

"So they are the new players I've signed, and I'm still talking to a couple of the squad, but I'm very pleased with what I've got at the moment.

"There have been a lot of opinions about people who have left this club. Well, we lose a few players every year, and it doesn't put me or Danny up or down. If people want to leave they'll leave, and there's different reasons why they do that.

"Paul Wilkerson was 50/50 about leaving, and he doesn't exactly live round the corner. It was difficult for him to get here at times, but it's fantastic what he's done for me and this club. Him and his family are great people. If he does retire - ‘good'. If he doesn't, then still ‘good' (as long as he chucks in a couple if we play against him.)

"Lovely feller, I‘m ever so pleased in my dealings with him over the last couple of years. A very professional goalkeeper, and I think a lot of the lads knew that and it has rubbed off on them.

"Dean Hill has gone back to his local club. He's been here for a few years. He couldn't get a game for Dover the last time he was there and went to Ashford then Sittingbourne, which as where we plucked him from and got him here. Again, he's done well for me, my vice captain.

"He's left because of his personal situation, and again he goes with my blessings. I'm pleased that I've had dealings with Dean over the last couple of years - nice feller and the best of luck to him.

"Now everybody's got a sell-by date, believe me, everybody has. Sometimes they stay at a club for too long, and that goes for managers too, the familiarity thing and all that.

"Olly Schulz, I feel, didn't want to be here last year, and this is no sour grapes because he's left, but there's a time for people to leave. The lad could have gone about it in a different way, but again that's his way of doing it.

"Olly Schulz has been very good for Ramsgate FC but Ramsgate FC has been very good for Olly as well. Would he have won as many trophies playing for someone else? Only time will tell, so he's gone to play for Dover.

"I feel as though we're stronger now than what we were this time last year. Everything is in line in this club, the whole club is moving forward.

"We finished 5^th this year, a major achievement, and we want to better that, and everybody knows it.

"The amount of respect that this club gets now from everybody has gone up. It's a well run club all the way from top to bottom."

Article courtesy of www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk