Seager adds more quality to his squad

WHITSTABLE TOWN manager Marc Seager has added a further two players to his squad as he bids to continue the progress at Belmont Road, writes Stephen McCartney.

Having finished their inaugural Ryman League Division One South campaign in fourteenth place, Seager is looking to consolidate in the top half this season.

Former Sittingbourne central defender James Campbell, 28, who finished last season with Walton & Hersham has signed, along with the versatile Jack Tanner, 22, who arrives from Dover Athletic, where he picked up a Ryman League Division One South championship winning medal before his release in early May.

Seager is looking at Campbell’s experience to help plug the gaps in defence, which was the joint-third worst in the division last season.

“He’s a central defender with a lot of experience,” Seager told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“He’s played his whole career at this level and you have to bare in mind we let in 84 goals last season and our defence is an area where we needed to strengthen and James will give us that experienced head.”

Campbell, meanwhile, joins former Sittingbourne team-mate Paul Ainsworh at Belmont Road, who signed for the club last week.

“James, he’s 28-years-old, we are a very young side and when Clint Gooding returned from injury we started having a bit more,” said Seager.

“Sometimes you need that bit of experience and James is another experienced lad. He was formerly captain at Sittingbourne and will give us a bit of experience.

“Whether he gets a shirt, that’s down to him to put in the performances.”

Seager is also pleased to have signed Tanner, adding: “He’s more of a wide man who can play up front as well and he collected a Ryman League Division One South championship medal last season and he will be a great addition to the squad.

“Jack oozes quality, he’s pacy, a great attacking player. We never lacked goals last year, but you never stop improving. We scored 69 last year, we want to score 89 this year.”

Seager’s recent additions trained on Saturday and the manager is pleased with the way that preparations are going.

“We’ve got five more training sessions before our first game,” he said.

“The first week has been absolutely fantastic. The squad’s looking big and strong and that’s what you have got to do is improve.

“The way we finished our first season, in fourteenth place, there’s a lot of positives and we want to be competing in the top half.”

Seager has told all of his players that they must “fight for their shirts” and no-one is certain for their place in the team come the opening day of the season on 16^th August.

“Reputations and past performances don’t count for nothing and they’ve got to prove to me that they’ve got to be in the squad,” he said.

“Come that first game I will pick my strongest side from what I’ve seen over pre-season - the ball is firmly in the players’ courts.”

Whitstable must wait until Saturday, 19^th July before their first pre-season friendly - at Sussex County League side Redhill.

“The players have worked hard in training and I’m really excited for the pre-season games,” said Seager.

“We’re looking to carry on our form from last season into the new.”

After such an impressive run of form towards the end of last season, Seager challenges his side to carry it on when the season kick’s off for real.

“Obviously our end of season form was good enough and we showed in the last three months of the season that we can compete with any team in the league,” said Seager.

“But we only did that in the last fourteen games, a campaign is 42 games.

“We’re looking for a lot of consistency but we’re a young side but the players have grown in stature with a year’s experience and I’m looking forward to good things.

“It’s important we try to go forward in the right direction.

“I can tell by the players in the first week (of pre-season training) that there’s a lot of hunger and desire and if they want to be in the right end of the table, the top half, we have to work hard.”

“If people want to pip us for the play-off positions that’s great to hear but what we’re looking to do at the moment is improve on our finish last season.

“There’s a lot of good teams with big budgets who can go out for the best players but what I’ve got is a good young squad with lots of potential and I’m looking forward to giving themselves a really good go as they did the last three months of the season.

“We showed we can compete against anyone from the league. We want to be a better team, playing good football and entertaining the crowds.”

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk