Soccer Shorts: Blackman, Devereux and Hessenthaler unveiled as assistant manager's

ASHFORD UNITED have announced the appointment of Lloyd Blackman as player-coach and assistant to manager Paul Chambers.

Striker Blackman – who replaces John Ovard - left Hythe Town after Scott Porter parted company with the Reachfields Stadium club earlier in the month.

A statement issued by Ashford on their club website said: “He has signed for Ashford as a player-coach and will also assist Paul Chambers giving his invaluable experience in the club’s quest of promotion from the Southern Counties East Football League.

“The club warmly welcome Lloyd and he will be active alongside of Chambo as they put together their strongest possible team in this season’s quest for success.”

BECKENHAM TOWN will stage their first televised football match at Eden Park Avenue when they stage the FA Women’s Super League Group One Continental  Cup tie between Millwall Lionesses and Arsenal, which will be shown live on BT Sport.

The match will be played on Sunday 13 July (2:00pm) and club secretary Peter Palmer told www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk: “It’s excellent news. It’s publicity for the club and hopefully the League as well.”

BEXLEY BOROUGH will close down if owner Liam Kelly fails to find someone to take over the club.

The club played their games on the 3G pitch at Thamesmead Town’s Bayliss Avenue last season, finishing in fourth-place in the Haart of Kent County League Division Two West.

“Bexley Borough are looking for a person or team to take over the club in its entirety,” tweeted Mr Kelly.

“Myself and management have moved on to another club. Persons interested please contact me by 2nd June.

“If there’s no interest the club will sadly fold.”

BROMLEY manager Mark Goldberg is delighted to confirm that he has secured the signings of Adam Bailey-Dennis, Louis Dennis, Pierre Joseph-Dubois and Sam Higgins.

Bailey-Dennis joined the Hayes Lane club for the last month of the 2013/14 season after previous spells with Colchester United and Braintree Town, where the defender gained promotion to the Conference National back in 2011.

Winger Dennis joined the club in February this year following his release from Dagenham & Redbridge. The youngster made an immediate impact, scoring four goals from the bench during the end of season run in.

Joseph-Dubois, 26, will start his second full season with the club having joined back in January of 2012. A fans favourite, the winger was the second leading goalscorer in the entire Conference South with 18 goals.

Higgins joins after having briefly appeared for the club in last season's Skrill South play-off semi-final. The forward joins from Ryman Premier League side East Thurrock United where he scored 11 goals in 18 appearances. He also enjoyed a short spell at Chelmsford City back in the 2010/11 season where he scored 16 goals in 27 appearances.

The confirmed squad so far: Adam Bailey-Dennis, Adam Birchall, Ali Fuseni, Harry Grant, Jack Holland, Joe Anderson, Louis Dennis, Pierre Joseph-Dubois, Reece Prestedge, Rob Swaine, Sam Higgins and Sam Long.

A statement said: “The club remain in talks with some of last season's squad and further announcements will appear here shortly.”

CROCKENHILL manager Craig Clark has appointed Steve Devereux as his assistant manager.

The Crocks suffered their worst season in their history last time out when they lost 30 competitive games last season, winning only once.  The Wested Meadow side conceded 176 goals and finished rock bottom of the Kent Invicta League table with 3 points from 28 games.

“The former Sutton Athletic and Fleet Leisure player is young and enthusiastic about joining us,” said Clark, who must take credit for keeping the famous old club going during adversity.

“He has some good ideas about how he can help to take the club forward.”

DARTFORD manager Tony Burman has unveiled the contracted signing of former Cambridge United striker Andy Pugh, 25.

EBBSFLEET UNITED goalkeepers Preston Edwards, 24, and Brandon Hall have signed new contracts to keep them at Stonebridge Road next season.

The Conference South club will train three mornings a week next season as the club look to improve on their fourth-placed finish – and 1-0 defeat at home to Dover Athletic in the play-off final on 10 May.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA manager Neil Cugley has unveiled the signing of striker Ian Draycott, 25, from Leatherhead.

It took the Folkestone manager several attempts over a number months to convince the excellent Paul Booth that he would really enjoy his football at Folkestone and now Cugley has signed Boothy’s ex-Maidstone United team-mate and fellow striker Draycott.

Draycott turned down a move to Cheriton Road ten months ago when he opted to join Leatherhead.

Draycott becomes the second member of the Leatherhead side that clinched promotion to the Ryman Premier Division in that dramatic penalty shoot-out against Folkestone only a few weeks ago - following Tanners’ skipper Darren Smith’s return to Invicta within the last fortnight.

Cugley told www.folkestoneinvictafc.co.uk: “He’s been in promotion teams at Bedford, Maidstone and Leatherhead and has the winning mentality that could just help us up after three successive years of being denied it after we’ve made the play-offs.”

And the Folkestone boss is determined that his side will again be one of the most attacking and entertaining teams in Ryman One South after they bagged 102 goals in 46 league games on the way to finishing runners-up for the second time in five seasons.

“People want to see teams scoring goals and playing good attacking football, and I believe we did that for the majority of last season,” said Cugley. 

Having lost teenage goal-scoring sensation Johan Ter Horst to Premier League Hull City and standby forward Simon Austin, who has left to manage Erith Town, Cugley was determined to add to his strike force - and may still not be finished yet.

Working on the adage that goals win games and wins keep the fans happy, Cugley added: “You can’t have too many forwards and now we’ve got real competition for places with good players like Ratty (James Everitt), Boothy, Dane Luchford and now Ian Draycott.”

GILLINGHAM manager Peter Taylor has appointed club stalwart Andy Hessenthaler, 48, as his new assistant.

Hessenthaler – who replaces John Schofield – made over 360 appearances for the Gills during a playing career at Priestfield which spanned a decade and included a spell as player-boss.

He returned as manager in 2010, but stepped down two years later before becoming director of football, only to leave the club in May 2013.

Hessenthaler, who has spent much of last year scouting for Championship club Burnley, played under Taylor at Dartford at the start of his career, at Gillingham in 1999-2000 and also during a loan spell at Hull City in 2005.

Meanwhile, the League One club have agreed deals to sign goalkeeper Glenn Morris, 30 and defender Aaron Morris, 24.

Former Leyton Orient and Southend United keeper Morris spent the last two years at Aldershot Town and has signed a one-year deal.

Morris, who can play all across the backline, has joined the club from AFC Wimbledon, signing a two-year deal.

HYTHE TOWN are inviting their supporters to Reachfields Stadium on Friday night (7pm) to meet the club’s new chairman (Trevor Kennett) and new management team (Tim Dixon, Darren Beale and Steve Nolan).

The board hopes for a good turn out to welcome the new men.  This is also an opportunity for those who have expressed an interest in helping out during the close season, or are interested in the proposed new supporters club, or would just like to get more involved with the Ryman League Division One South club.

LORDSWOOD have unveiled that Craig Maguire, Charlie Smith, Dan Wells and Dan Ellet have all signed for the Southern Counties East Football League club from Ryman League Division One South club Whitstable Town.

Adam Hooper, Matt Byott, Tom Box, Rob Norman, Imran Englefield and Richard Styles have all confirmed that they play for manager Jason Lillis at Martyn Grove again next season.

MAIDSTONE UNITED have unveiled the return of striker Jay May, who arrives from Conference South Bromley.

May, 28, had a brief spell with the Stones at the end of the 2010-11 season after his release from Tonbridge Angels. He left that summer following the club’s relegation to Ryman League Division One South.

However, the target-man joined Billericay Town and was part of the squad that won promotion to Conference South in 2012.

After the Essex club’s one-year tenure in that division he made the move to Bromley – a club he made a handful of appearances for back in 2008.

May scored ten goals for Mark Goldberg’s side but worked tirelessly to help striker Bradley Goldberg (24 goals) and winger Pierre Joseph-Dubois (20) top the scoring charts at the club.

Saunders said Dartford-based May will compete for a starting place with the likes of Frannie Collin and Jack Harris.

MARGATE manager Terry Brown has unveiled the signings of both Luke Moore and Jack Bennett.

Moore, 26, joins the Hartsdown Park club on a two-year contract after being released from League Two side AFC Wimbledon.

The striker will add further experience to the Ryman Premier League squad ahead of the new season.

Former Ebbsfleet United striker Moore was part of the Dons squad who won promotion to the Football League and went onto score their first goal in the League Cup.

Brown told the club’s website: “I am delighted to sign Luke again. He is a Kent lad that can play up front or in any attacking midfield role.

“He is a gifted player with a great eye for goal.”

Meanwhile, wing-back Bennett, 23, has also joined the club from Ryman Premier League rivals Hendon, also on a two-year deal.

Brown said: “Jack is incredibly quick. He is a young talented left sided player who first caught my eye when he tore us apart in the final 20 minutes at Hartsdown Park in January.

“He is another fantastic addition to an already talented squad”.

RAMSGATE manager Dean Hill has issued the club’s retained list.

Macauley Murray, 19, has opted to make a u-turn and has re-signed for the club after previously being announced by Hythe Town as a summer arrival at Reachfields Stadium – a club now managed by former Ramsgate boss Tim Dixon.

“A player that needs no introduction to regular visitors is Macca Murray.  He is a young player with a massive future and he has joined us again for next season,” Hill told www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk.  

“Also, those of you with a good memory will also recall Charlie Walsh, who played two years ago and scored for us in the FA Cup before joining Deal where he has matured and improved.

“He is joining us during pre-season and will be part of the new look team.”

Hill, Nick Shaw, Luke Wheatley, Greg Skinner, Aaron Beech, Tom Chapman, Curtis Robinson and James Sherman will remain at Southwood Stadium next season.

Hill added :”There are a few others that I am trying to finalise and will give a further update next week.”

TONBRIDGE ANGELS will be staging the ever popular music and beer festival – Angelfest this weekend.

The festival will run from 16:00 on Friday, through Saturday and Sunday at Longmead Stadium. 

A club statement said: “The festival will be raising funds for the Tonbridge Area Flood Support Group.  A number of residents quite literally suffered a complete washout last Christmas following some of the worst flooding the town had ever experienced. Most have still been unable to move back into their severely damaged homes.

“During the festival there will be some 27 music acts taking to the stage together with a large range of locally produced real ales, ciders and lagers for all to enjoy.”

The festival has been organised by the Acoustic Valium Project together with support from the Ryman Premier League club. Entry to the event is free.

WHITSTABLE TOWN have unveiled Gary Owen as their new under 21 manager.

Addisham-based Owen is an UEFA A Licence coach, is director of football at the Chelsea Football Foundation at Sandwich Technology School.

Chairman Gary Johnson said: “He was previously associated with Chelsea’s Academy until 2004.  Gary places the emphasis on player development.

“Whilst the club have retained the services of a number of last year’s squad and look to build on the philosophy of emerging talent, which is so important to the club, a number of new faces will also link up with last year’s players whom look to develop within the club.”

Other potential under 21 players whom they think they would like the opportunity to be considered for trials should Gary Owen on 07557 340 620 or the club’s youth development officer Will Graham on 07788 208 924.

Meanwhile, the club now look to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced under 18 manager whom can link through Graham and football management with an equal emphasis on player development. Applications should be addressed to secretary@whitstabletownfc.co.uk.

Training starts on Saturday 28 June at The Belmont at 10:00, although you must contact the club to ask for a trial.