13thaug03

Three more Brickies
Three new players put pen-to-paper for Sittingbourne just days ahead of the new Dr Martens League Eastern Division season starting, writes John Pitts.

Two of the 'newcomers' started in Bourne's youth side some years ago before moving to pastures new, Lyndon Rowland and Darren Smith, whilst the other is exciting young prospect Lee Browning.

Rowland, who had something of a 'bad boy' image whilst with King's Lynn has also played for Halesowen Town, Hinckley United, Gresley Rovers and Coalville Town amongst others and will hopefully help solve Sittingbourne's goalscoring
problem.

Attacking midfielder Smith signs from Dartford and previously played for Gravesend & Northfleet in the Nationwide Conference.

Browning is a young midfield player who has played for Gillingham's youth side and had trials at Derby County and Aston Villa.

Meanwhile, off-the-pitch, work continues at Bourne Park on the construction of new stands. Currently being erected is a 250-seater structure that adorned the previous Central Park stadium until a new stand was put in place.

Also being erected before Bourne's first home game is a small, 50-seater stand that is the first of six seating modules with a capacity of 300 giving a total seating capacity on completion of 550.

The pitch has been lengthened and widened and the floodlights improved and the club have also built a new clubhouse adjacent to the ground. Once it is fitted out it will replace "The Cabin" bar that is some way from the pitch.