Hythe Town make Lloyd Blackman their first summer signing

HYTHE TOWN boss Scott Porter has tonight unveiled the first of his summer signings as he prepares for the club’s inaugural Ryman League campaign, writes Stephen McCartney.


Work-horse, striker Lloyd Blackman, 27, has arrived from Whitstable Town, where he was skipper and guided the Oystermen to fifteenth-place in the Ryman League Division One South table.

Blackman started his career as a professional at Brentford, before injury meant a drop down to non-league football. His footballing C.V. includes spells at Scarborough Town, Chelmsford City, Cambridge City, Farnborough, Woking, Crawley Town, Maidstone United and Margate where during the 2009-10 season he scored fourteen goals in twenty-three Ryman League Premier League appearances.

Blackman has signed on non-contract terms, which Porter described as “all on good terms” and is the first of Porter’s four transfer targets in what is an exciting summer following the club’s Kent League title success last month.

“He’s proven in the Ryman Premier and the Ryman South and he’s one of four I want to get hold off and he’s the first one on the list, we’re talking to certain people, hopefully we can continue with the other three,” said Porter.

“It’s a good signing.  He’s a good lad, a workhorse, (with) a heart of gold and he’ll be a great asset for the squad.

“Two other clubs were after him but he’s seen what we’ve got down there and we’re moving in the right direction.  He’s happy with what he’s seen and heard and he can’t wait to get going.  He’s buzzing to be honest with you.”

Porter added: “Like I say, he’s a good lad and he’s been around the club a few times.  He’s good friends with a lot of my players at the minute, so they have to fit into a certain mould in our club and he fits into that criteria.”

The club will toast their glorious Kent League campaign during their presentation night at Folkestone Rugby Club this coming Friday night before Porter sits down with his title winning squad and thrash out new deals for next season.

“We’ve got a presentation on Friday so after that we’ll sit down next week as a squad down the club and speak to people individually – like we did last year and iron things out and there’s no reason why they won’t stay,” said Porter.

“I think we’ve got a great squad.  You don’t win the league with a club and then just disappear and everyone knows that we’re looking to keep the majority of the squad and add three or four and we’ll be competing in Ryman South and doing the best we can.”

It’s an exciting summer at Reachfields Stadium, as the club prepare for Ryman League football for the very first time – but last season was simply brilliant as they became the first Kent League club in 53 years to reach the FA Cup First Round, when they went down to a plucky 5-1 defeat at League Two side Hereford United last November.

Porter relished the media attention that he received, which included a phone call from the manager of the club he supports, Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Redknapp.

“When we first set our stall out at the start of the season we wanted to win the league and that’s exactly what we’ve done and what comes with that was an added bonus,” reflected a proud Porter, 32.

“The FA Cup (run) was just an unbelievable experience and something the club, the players and management will never forget, so it’s been a great season and we got our rewards by winning the league.”

And looking forward to the rigours of the Ryman League, which will see them play 42 league games compared to 30 that they faced in the Kent League, Porter added, “Of course it’s different, it’s more competitive.  You’re going up a ladder and playing against better teams and more organised teams, better players.”

But Hythe Town will have nothing to worry about.  The club proved it can handle the big occasion both on and off the pitch and will be tipped to do well when the league campaign gets underway in August.

Visit Hythe Town’s website: www.hythetownfc.co.uk