12thmay04

Gravesend raid Kent rivals for second time
by Tony Hudd - www.kentonline.co.uk

GRAVESEND & Northfleet have made a second raid on Nationwide Conference rivals Margate to snap up defender Graham Porter.

A week after bringing midfielder Jay Saunders back to Stonebridge Road, Gravesend manager Andy Ford succeeded in prising the centre-back Porter away from the East Kent club.

But he has failed in an attempt to sign Stevenage Borough's former Dover midfielder Simon Wormull who opted for wealthy Conference, South club Hornchurch.

Gravesend  assistant manager Adrian Pennock said: "We've really done our homework on Graham so we're delighted to have signed him.

"He's got two good feet, is a good talker and was Margate's skipper. So he's going to hot up the competition for places in our defence."

Last season Porter scored seven goals in 35 appearances for Margate, who were his sixth club. He follows Saunders into Stonebridge Road from Margate after signing a two-year deal.

Saunders, a former Gillingham junior, left Gravesend & Northfleet  for Margate in 1997 having spent a year with the club who signed him following his release at Priestfield.