We've done well out of Stuart Zanone transfer, says VCD Athletic boss Tony Russell

VCD ATHLETIC manager Tony Russell says the club are happy with the deal that took striker Stuart Zanone to Greenwich Borough on Friday night.

Zanone, 28, an ex-solider who lives in Harlow, Essex, arrived at the club for an undisclosed transfer fee from Ryman Premier League side Thamesmead Town in September, but endured a frustrating time at Oakwood, scoring three goals in seventeen appearances.

Zanone made his Greenwich Borough debut in their 1-0 defeat at Fisher in the Southern Counties East Football League yesterday.

John Cumberbatch’s side are in ninth-place in the table with 20 points from 14 games, 16 points adrift of league leaders Ashford United.

VCD Athletic, meanwhile, are five points clear at the top of the Ryman League Division One North table after their 2-0 home win over Waltham Abbey yesterday.

Sherwin Stanley scored his 12^th goal of the season – taking his tally to 32 goals in 43 career games since his arrival 12 months ago – and the second goal was scored by Uche Ibemere, who has played for Dartford, Cray Wanderers and Thamesmead Town this season.

Vickers play a top-of-the-table clash against Thurrock at Oakwood on New Year’s Day (3pm).  The Fleet were held to a 1-1 draw at Harlow Town yesterday.

Russell, 35, was asked about the transfer after his side’s seventeenth league win of the season.

He said: “It’s a shame, because I actually like him.  I like him as a person but we’re different, we’re so different from a lot (of teams).

“He’s very good with what he does, he’s quick and strong and he can score goals, but we were asking him to do other stuff and work on his weakness, his heading and his touch - and he was getting there as well. I said to him I can really see the difference in him, but his patience wore a little bit thin.

“Fair enough, he was honest with me. He just wants to play. He understands what we’re trying to do but he said he’s 28 and he just wants to play.

“He’s a good player, he’s a really, really good player.  Greenwich Borough have got a really good player and a top lad as well and he will score goals for fun. He’ll score goals at this level as well.

“It’s just unfortunate the way we play killed him a little bit. I personally would love to see him stay because if he would have stayed with us his weaknesses would have been strengths and you would have had a seriously, seriously good footballer on your hands but that was his decision and we respect that.”

Zanone’s only goals for the club was a hat-trick in their 8-0 home win over Wroxham on 29 October.

Russell said: “I had a chat with him, he requested to leave. I wasn’t prepared to sell him to anyone in our league because there were a few teams in our league interested but we wasn’t prepared to do that and I told him that.”

Russell revealed the deal came about when he sent a defender on loan at Greenwich Borough, who play their home games at Conference Premier side Dartford.

Russell said: “We sent Billy Manners to Greenwich Borough on loan, he’s just come back from injury.

“I had a conversation with John Cumberbatch and he was telling me how ambitious they are and what they want to do. They’ve got these massive plans and then it just came about.  No disrespect to Greenwich Borough, but I just didn’t think they would be (in a position to pay money for a player). We had a chat and he had a chat with the chairman and he came back to me and came back with an offer and the offer was a good one.”

VCD Athletic have not revealed the money paid to Thamesmead Town or received from Greenwich Borough for the striker, who scored 47 goals last season for Rochester United and Thamesmead Town, where he helped the club secure promotion after scoring in the play-off final at Maldon & Tiptree.

Russell said: “I’m not going to go into details but as a club we’ve done well out of it. Our chairman’s happy, Stuart’s happy because he will play every week and be the main man.

“I’ve got to go and find another striker. I won’t see a penny of it, but the chairman’s happy. He was good enough to back me when I wanted him in the first place.

“You know what it’s like, it’s cloak-and-dagger this non-league stuff unfortunately and I’ve got to bide by these rules otherwise I’ll get cast adrift.  Everyone’s done well out of it.”

Visit VCD Athletic’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/vcdathleticfc