Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley snaps up Jake Beecroft from Whitstable Town

Tuesday 11th June 2013

FOLKESTONE INVICTA have snapped up former Tonbridge Angels midfielder Jake Beecroft from Whitstable Town.

Invicta finished in the top-five in the Ryman League Division One South last season, but went down to a 1-0 defeat to Maidstone United in the semi-finals of the play-offs.

Beecroft, the former Rushden & Diamonds midfielder, put pen to paper at Cheriton Road last weekend soon after returning from his honeymoon in Florida.

“We had a great time, but now I’m itching to get back to football,” Beecroft, 23, told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk.

Beecroft joined Rushden & Diamonds in his mid-teens and completed a scholarship at Nene Park by which point the Northamptonshire club were playing in the Conference Premier – going on to start around 30 first team games for the club, along with a dozen or more substitute appearances.

Beecroft returned to his native Tonbridge – where he still lives – when the Diamonds went into administration and folded during the 2009-10 season.

He was with Tommy Warrilow’s Tonbridge Angels in their Ryman Premier League promotion campaign, but left midway through their first season in Conference South.

Beecroft then linked up with Justin Luchford at Whitstable Town and when Luchford became Folkestone’s club scout a couple of weeks back, he was happy to be able to recommend him to Invicta boss Neil Cugley.

“I enjoyed it at Whitstable and played for them all of last season,” added Beecroft.

“I especially enjoyed linking up with Micheal Everitt, who you all know, of course, at Folkestone.”

Cugley, who has brought striker Stuart King back to the club following his short spell at Maidstone United, said: “I’ve seen him several times and knew he was a good player.

“He’s what I call a proper footballer. Micheal Everitt rates him very highly having played alongside him last season.

“Jake’s also about the right age for the kind of players we want to (sign) and should be a great addition to central midfield.”

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk