2018-19 National League South

[That Fat Centre Half]

I see Wealdstone have signed Godfrey Poku. He was awful for us from memory.

Was Oxford City player of the season last year, so might not be too bad a signing for Wealdstone.

Very limited player from what I recall of his time here, but if you need that sort of midfield player (limited technically but will put a foot in and generally charge about trying to get involved), he is alright.

 

[Aberstone]

Last two seasons. I’m quietly optimistic of the business that we’ve done, finally I feel like we have a balance to the team plus a lot of the incomings are versatile who can play in multiple positions.

The midfield is overstacked though, I think it’s 10 players for 4 positions. If there’s a few injuries defensively then we’re buggered but for the most part I like who Bobby Wilkinson has brought in.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Concord are assembling a very good squad. Have they got a new benefator?

Billy Knott signed tonight. Formerly of Lincoln,Bradford and Wimbledon

 

[Pink Panther]

Concord are assembling a very good squad. Have they got a new benefator?

If they do they should have appointed a manager a bit less green than Sammy Moore, who blew a great chance of making the play-offs with Leatherhead a division lower by conceding stoppage time goals in all of the last three league matches.

 

[Luke Imp]

I know there are circumstances to it, but crazy to think that Arnold and now Knott have dropped to PT.

Correct thing for Knott, though. He needs to get back to playing week in, week out and have time to get the help he needs away from the 'pressures' of FT football.

A change of environment back closer to home will hopefully to the trick and he'll be able to get back to FT football in the next 2 or 3 years.

 

[Aberstone]

Concord are assembling a very good squad. Have they got a new benefator?

Billy Knott signed tonight. Formerly of Lincoln,Bradford and Wimbledon

Knott's a ridiculous signing for this level but ex-player and lives on Canvey Island so better to be back home close to friends and family so he can get over his problems.

As for Concord, I'm not worried by the squad they're putting together. Plenty of 'names' there but the majority are on the wrong side of 30 and the 2 year deals would have me concerned. Somebody may correct me on this but I don't see that Sammy Moore has brought in any centre halves as of yet.

In other news Ian Gayle has signed for Woking. Reasonable speed and strength but his distribution when with us was awful, specifically an inability to head a ball to a teammate.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Our (so far) retained list released.

Andrew Hannah
Samuel Avery
Matt Williams
Jamie Edge
Joe Hanks
Spencer Hamilton
Chris Knowles
Joe Parker
Isaac Kelly
Noah Smerdon
Will Tunnicliff
Tom Webb
Will Morford

Hannah came back to us after pretty much a season loan stint at Paulton. He actually did really well for us and looks a solid keeper.

Very surprised Jamie Edge is still with us, such a shame after being Arsenal youth captain and costing so much that he's barely good enough to play National League level now. Needs a very good season.

Noah Smerdon was on WBA's books but has been released, he's a City youth teamer and made several starts towards the end of the season for us at the tender age of 17. Very promising player and has scored already for us. He's also an England U-18 international. How long we can keep the kid here is another thing.

Lewis Hall signed for Hereford and Keiran Thomas going there too (but not official yet). Robbie Cundy not on that list, apparently was training with Millwall. Kieran Parselle is being chased by several clubs apparently and everyone seems to believe Ed Williams is heading to Exeter City. Not heard anything about Harry Williams, from what I know he hasn't headed back to the US league. Would be a major boost if we could keep him.

As it stands though, we'll struggle with that. We need a lot more firepower and creativity and the left side is very weak.

 

[Harrier94]

everyone seems to believe Ed Williams is heading to Exeter City

Rumoured to be joining us. Was linked a lot with us last season.

 

[Aberstone]

Billericay have signed Callum Kennedy from AFC Wimbledon and Rickie Hayles from Dulwich Hamlet. Going the other way is Byron Lawrence who leaves Billericay to sign for Dulwich.

Harry Wheeler isn't stupid and granted I'm only basing this off one game but that defence needed improving big time or it would have been exposed terribly in the Conny Sarf.

A few other clubs are announcing signings whilst Hampton will announce 8 new signings tomorrow morning - if the rumour mill is correct 3 players we had last season will be heading there.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Rumoured to be joining us. Was linked a lot with us last season.

Yeah seems to have come around again. He's the same as I what I said earlier on when that rumour first popped up. Has very quick feet, is a direct creative player and on his day can be unplayable. We had a poor season for most of the last campaign and he deservedly won player of the year as at times he looked like he was the only player in yellow that was remotely bothered.

However he can be frustrating to watch at times as he holds onto the ball for far too long and we, weirdly, kept him as designated free kick taker for most of the season. Think back to when Crouch was doing it in the Euros! Same as that! Basically if he can sort out some parts of his game and become more consistent he's easily capable of playing in the FL.

 

[Harrier94]

Yeah seems to have come around again. He's the same as I what I said earlier on when that rumour first popped up. Has very quick feet, is a direct creative player and on his day can be unplayable. We had a poor season for most of the last campaign and he deservedly won player of the year as at times he looked like he was the only player in yellow that was remotely bothered.

However he can be frustrating to watch at times as he holds onto the ball for far too long and we, weirdly, kept him as designated free kick taker for most of the season. Think back to when Crouch was doing it in the Euros! Same as that! Basically if he can sort out some parts of his game and become more consistent he's easily capable of playing in the FL.

Sounds like he'll be a replacement for our number 10 we lost a few weeks ago. But he's been linked with us so much I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Substitute Crouch for Harry Kane of course

 

[Aberstone]

Jake Sheppard signs permanently following his release from Reading. Squad is currently looking like this:

Goalkeepers:
Jonathan North

Defenders:
Freddie Grant
Jerome Okimo (C)
Yado Mambo
Tom Gardiner
Glenn Wilson
Marvel Ekpiteta
Rhys Tyler
Jake Sheppard

Midfielders:
Bradley Hudson-Odoi
Jeffrey Monakana
Sam Cox
Godfrey Poku
Matt Lench
Sam Hatton
James Clark
Wadeh Ahmidi
Montel Agyemang
Danny Green

Strikers:
Dave Pratt
Bradley Bubb
Stefan Brown

Alfie Bonfield and/or Raven Constable I haven't included even though it's almost certain that one of them will be around next season as North's understudy. I've probably forgotten someone else there we've done so much business but 22 players will likely see 2-3 released before the season gets underway.

Plenty of options for BW to choose from.

 

[Pink Panther]

Alfie Bonfield and/or Raven Constable I haven't included even though it's almost certain that one of them will be around next season as North's understudy.

Did someone seriously call their child Raven?

 

[Pinner Stones]

22 players there and with a reduced budget of around 25% on last season, there are a few there who will not be around at the start of the season.

That said, pleased that Shepherd has joined. As you say, along with Wilson, he was BW’s best signing.

 

[Pinner Stones]

Did someone seriously call their child Raven?

He’d fit in well in East Dulwich....

 

[Aberstone]

Raven Constable was outstanding at Beaconsfield when with them last season by all accounts. Didn't do a bad job when filling in for Northy either.

As for Sheppard, I just don't want him playing at right back because he was caught out a lot, he looked far more assured in the centre of midfield imo.

 

[yellow]

Really not convinced with where we are at the moment. We were told that Owers had already started planning and was in talks with players over next season. We have an increased budget on last season. Yet so far we have four strikers that barely hit double figures between them last season, a defender who I've never heard of but was at Whitehawk last season (bodes well) and a winger who hasn't played for about 7 months.

Good work Gary.

 

[doveranddover]

Think Essuman should be ok for you next season. Never really got a chance being 1 of Dover's 7 centre backs.
Odd how so many players have swapped between Torquay and Dover in recent seasons

 

[Oxford's Only Team]

Hi All,

My first post! Oxford City supporter - there's not many of us but we do get around!

Lost the majority of our squad, believe we have only seven players currently 'signed on' but fully expect a few more in the next week or two.

I expect another tough year, but if we can have another great FA Cup run I'll be happy!!

 

[DarkSithLord]

Hi All,

My first post! Oxford City supporter - there's not many of us but we do get around!

Lost the majority of our squad, believe we have only seven players currently 'signed on' but fully expect a few more in the next week or two.

I expect another tough year, but if we can have another great FA Cup run I'll be happy!!

Welcome to the forum. Great to have another team represented on here.

How was Godfrey Poku for you? He was awful for us (Alfreton)

 

[Oxford's Only Team]

Welcome to the forum. Great to have another team represented on here.

How was Godfrey Poku for you? He was awful for us (Alfreton)

He had a very good season, gutted he has left, real warrior in the middle of the field. A great asset to have.

 

[Raymondo316]

Our former one goal superstar has signed for Dartford.
If thats who they're relying on to score goals they have a tough season a head......

 

[#Beebot]

He’d fit in well in East Dulwich....

His name is actually Ravan, the lad is from Jamaica. Don't know whether it's a common name over there or not, but over here most of his clubs seem to call him Raven, probably just for the lols.

He played once for us, in a county cup game at Staines, where he deployed a policy of rushing off his line every time the opposition entered the final quarter of the pitch. This did not end well.

Martin Allen sacked him after he turned up late for a game. The following season he was named in the starting XI for Enfield in another county cup game at our place, but never turned up, so they put an outfield player in goal and sent an SOS to another of their keepers, who rocked up 30 minutes into the game. We still lost!

 

[Aberstone]

Our former one goal superstar has signed for Dartford.
If thats who they're relying on to score goals they have a tough season a head......

Their recruitment has hardly been inspiring so far.

 

[DarkSithLord]

John Mills has a new club - Bath City - http://nonleaguedaily.com/bath-city-sign-hereford-striker-mills/

 

[Oxford's Only Team]

Strong rumour that Matt Paterson has re-signed for City. Will be gob smacked if true, to me the best player in the National League South last season, 22 league goals, 15 assists, 4 FA Cup goals, won the Oxfordshire Cup for us with a winning goal against Oxford United. Don't understand why he's not playing league football, unless it's his choice?

Ben Jefford signed from Welling, is he any good? Also, Kabongo Tshimanga from Boston United has signed, any good?

 

[Aberstone]

Strong rumour that Matt Paterson has re-signed for City. Will be gob smacked if true, to me the best player in the National League South last season, 22 league goals, 15 assists, 4 FA Cup goals, won the Oxfordshire Cup for us with a winning goal against Oxford United. Don't understand why he's not playing league football, unless it's his choice?

Ben Jefford signed from Welling, is he any good? Also, Kabongo Tshimanga from Boston United has signed, any good?

Your Twitter announced last week that Matt Paterson had re-signed with the club. No idea on Tshimanga but he scored a decent return for Boston in a more competitive league. Jefford was given the run around when we won at Welling last season, he was even sent off for his troubles.

 

[JaredSUFC]

Ben Jefford is not a good Footballer. To call him a liability is to compliment him

 

[Oxford's Only Team]

Ben Jefford is not a good Footballer. To call him a liability is to compliment him

Oh dear, doesn't sound too inspiring!!