Crawley Town snap up Croydon teenager

CROYDON manager/chairman Dickson Gill has recovered from the mild stroke that he suffered last season and is looking forward to mounting a serious push towards the Kent League title next season, writes Stephen McCartney.

Gill believes his health scare last season had consequences on the pitch as the south Norwood outfit had to settle for a bottom-six finish in the Kent League.

But now he is back and with a new management team in place, he’s looking to bring Ryman League football back to the club.

Croydon are set to unveil a coach with Football League experience this week, joining former Slade Green player Adam Morrish as Gill’s assistant in a new-look management set-up.

“Last season I didn’t have much input in the club,” Gill admitted when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“To be perfectly honest with you, last season I didn’t realise I was ill.

“It was difficult but we didn’t have much help with the playing side.

“I’ve got Adam Morrish going to be assistant manager. I’ve got supposedly, I can’t say until it’s finalised as we’re still doing a financial package, an UEFA A coaching licensed coach (coming to the club). I don’t think that alone is enough - we’re getting his experience and recruiting.”

A fully fit Gill, meanwhile, expects his side to be challenging for honours next season.

He said: “Well, I’d like to think we’re going to be competing with the top contenders. I wouldn’t like to commit myself to anything but I’d like to think we’d be a lot better than last season.

“Well, I wouldn’t say I was away, I was about but the kids did underachieve. In football you have to have a drive but we didn’t have the drive about us. The leader didn’t have the drive so the players didn’t have the drive.

“To be frank with you I don’t think we were good enough last year, no where near it.

“My assistant last season, John Domfe, he was out of the country for eight weeks through work commitments.

“Ricky Lawrence worked very well trying to get it right, he hasn’t got the experience for the Kent League at this moment, but he tried.”

Gill is pinning the club’s hopes on the new coach, saying: “Once we get this agreement with this coach, that would be the icing on the cake for me, if we get him.

“I’m the main person but he will have the input. He will be the main man behind it but we’ve both got the experience, we’ve come across each other in the past in the Ryman League.”

Gill revealed that he’s retained all but one of last season’s squad, and have added the Morrish brothers as well as Greenwich Borough’s top scorer last season, Mohammed Badar.

Striker, Danny Mills, 16, has signed for Blue Square Premier side Crawley Town to play in their PASE set-up.

“What we finished with we’ve kept everyone bar one,” said Gill. “We’ve lost, he’s sixteen, a very good forward.

“I’m pleased to let people like him go, it’s education. He said he’ll come back to play midweek but I’ve said no. He can once he’s finished his education, if he doesn’t get snapped up by a pro club.”

“I’ve strengthened everywhere really. I hope to have two goalkeepers, three centre halves, four forwards.

“I’m going to have a look in the pre-season friendlies and see which one of them will come out on top.”

Visit Croydon’s website: www.croydon-fc.co.uk