SCEFL – June Update

June 15, 2019

The SCEFL Clubs have been busy this summer with many of them revealing exciting news for their fans in the past few weeks. Here we summarise their activities.

Tunbridge Wells welcomed a new Manager, with Richard Styles arriving from Lordswood. His backroom team came with him, and shortly after so did some of the players. Jordan Wells, Frankie Griffin, Fjord Rogers, Ryan Cheek, Euan Sahadow and Freeman Rogers make the switch from Martyn Grove with James Nurden’s arrival completing a good week for Wells.

Lordswood now need to rebuild their depleted playing squad. They begin by announcing a new Manager, with Darren Anslow tasked to make the Lords competitive again. He surrounds himself with some top coaches and together they start the search for the right lads who they feel can deliver on the pitch. They are playing catch-up, but there is plenty of experience among the new trio so don’t write them off just yet.

Fisher also welcome a new Management Team. Allan Fenn arrives in Rotherhithe, appoints Ajay Ashinake as his number two and in the following week we will find out the names of some additions to the squad. It will be no easy job to compete with last seasons heroics but Fenn and his men will give it their best shot.

Chatham Town have been busy recruiting to a squad that they hope will see them compete for the title this year. Early signs are good with Justyn Roberts, Leon Smith, Harry Harding, Joe Kane and George Sheminant joining the double-Cup winners in the past week. They are sure to be in the mix at the top once more with this lot on board.

Canterbury City have certainly added some impressive names to their ranks in the past few days. Clive Cook has brought in Joe Mant, Jordan Wright, Jack Healey, Callum Emptage, Liam King and Clark Woodcock to his squad with more signatures to be confirmed next week. Write this lot off at your peril.

Glebe have surprised many with the sort of players that they have attracted recently. Nick Blue, Mudiagha Wanogho, Chris Edwards and Matt Parsons have all arrived at Foxbury giving Glebe the early calls of being the surprise package this year. With many of the previous seasons squad also retained they may just be another striker short of competing at the top end this year, or is there one on the way?

Crowborough Athletic were very pleased to announce that club legend Sam Carrington was to return to their side for this coming season. The prolific striker will link up with Tom Boddy once more and also a new coaching team as the Crows look to improve on a mid-table finish last time.

Premier Division new boys Welling Town have also been making additions to their squad over the past week or so. Twins Tyler and Cameron Anderson-Parr have made the switch from Bridon Ropes while Reece Barrett and Ramell Lake have arrived from Erith & Belvedere. The Boots have also brought in Kiki Oshilaja from Dulwich Hamlet as they show they are not here to simply make up the numbers.

Sheppey United were one of the earliest clubs to bring in reinforcements to their side. Jez Hammond, Rob Denness, Mickey Phillips, Steven Ita, Conrad Lee, Josh Pelling, Harrison Carnegie and Ben Davisson have all signed on for the Ites this month. Surely they will once again be sealing a top six finish.

Most of the other Premier clubs have been keeping their business a bit closer to their chests and we are sure to hear more from them more over the coming weeks, and certainly from the key date of the 1st of July. There can be no denying though that having a lot more eyes looking at the SCEFL last time around has helped many clubs attract the sort of names that may not have considered Step 5 as an option before. It all leads to what should be another interesting campaign ahead and as we get closer to it the excitement is sure to grow.

Compared to all the activity going on in the Prem, the First Division has been much quieter. Named signings have been few and far between but that does not mean that clubs have not been busy behind the scenes.
Bridon Ropes have named Junior Montgomery as new boss and he will be given the tough looking task of trying to get his side to another top 4 finish. Meridian VP have gone from no social media prescence to tweeting 6000 times a day. They have also brought together a large backroom team and are not expecting to be at the bottom end of the table this time around. Neither will Croydon FC who have just completed some successful triallist sessions. The first few picks have already signed on the dotted line with more to follow in the coming days. Lewisham Borough may have lost a key figure, in Owen Price, to Lordswood but they have brought in Beckenham’s Josh Owen to strengthen their midfield ranks. That looks to be a sign of intent from the club and Justin Fevrier probably has a few more names up his sleeve that he will announce soon. Holmesdale return to work next week with a different, but familiar face, in the dugout. Lee Roots has made his return to Oakley Road and after naming his management team this week he will soon get a glimpse of those in his playing squad.
With four promotion places up for grabs this First Division will probably be the most exciting one of all time. At this early stage none of the 17 sides can be ruled out of a challenge for those positions and it is sure to be a year that will go right down to the wire.