Deal Town summer update
Deal Town have provided these updates as they plan for the upcoming 2022/23 season.
20th May
Although it may have seemed like a quiet time at the football club over the last couple of weeks there has been plenty of work going on behind the scenes as we prepare for the new season. Having met with all of last year’s squad we are pleased to announce that the following players have agreed to sign for the club for the 2022/23 season as we look to build on last year’s successful season.
Kane Smith
John Brayne
Ben Cardwell
Ben Chapman
Tom Chapman
Connor Coyne
Alfie Foster
Liam Hark
Billy Munday
Macauley Murray
Max Niblett
Jack Penny
Joe Reeves
Rene Rivera
Lee Scott
Alex Smith
We will be saying goodbye to a few players who are James Tonkin, Jack Paxman, Sammy Gibson, Troy Howard and Sam Wilson. Unfortunately, James, Sammy and Jack have been unable to commit due to work and personal reasons but leave with our greatest thanks for their efforts at the club. Tonks and Pax especially have played a key role in the development of the club and have both achieved well over 150 appearances each. Sam Wilson has been struggling with an ongoing knee injury, which has limited his involvement since February and has now decided to retire from this level of football. Troy has been offered an exciting opportunity to join Margate FC in the Isthmian Premier Division and goes with the club’s best wishes.
Commenting on the squad update Steve King said ‘It is always disappointing to lose any players as we are such a close group but we fully understand that players have lives away from football which means they are not always able to commit fully at this level. All of the boys who are leaving us have been brilliant servants to the club and will always be welcome back when they are available. The only player who has currently left us to join another club is Troy who has earnt his chance two levels higher. I am proud to see someone who we have worked with from the age of 14 in the youth set-up get the chance at a higher level based on his performances last season. The great news is that we have managed to maintain the vast majority of the squad and have a great base to build from. We are pleased with how the squad is looking and are talking to a number of exciting additions. We may lose a couple of players during the season due to educational studies but we will be starting with a strong base when we return for pre-season. It takes time to bring players in at this stage of the year and it is important that we are patient but I am confident we will some exciting names joining us before the start of the season. We also have a number of trialists who have caught our eye and will be joining us for pre-season.’
New Keeper
The club are pleased to announce that goalkeeper Henry Newcombe has joined the Hoops for the 2022/23 season.
Henry ,24, enjoyed a loan spell with the club back in the 2015/16 season and has since played for Wycombe, Canvey Island, Margate, Folkestone, Chatham and most recently Hythe Town where he made over 30 appearances in Isthmian South East League last season. Henry who grew up in Deal will be joining his hometown club as we look to build on our success in the 2022/23 season.
Commenting on the signing Steve King said ‘As soon as we knew Tonks wasn’t going to be able to commit this season Henry was our number one target and we are pleased to have bought him into the club. We knew Tonks would leave big gloves to fill but know that Henry will certainly be able to do that. As well as being a very good goalkeeper Henry also fits into the profile of player we like to bring into the club. He is a local lad, ambitious and has vast experience of playing at higher levels. He believes in the plans for the club moving forward and we are pleased he is going to be part of it. He already knows a lot of the lads and we look forward to seeing him in a Hoops shirt this season.’
When talking to our new signing he added ‘I am delighted to have signed for my home town club. The club is a perfect fit for me and I am looking forward to the new season’.
Pre-season friendlies
We are pleased to announce that we have agreed the following pre-season fixtures in preparation for the 2022/23 season.
Our first game will see us at Charles Ground in a show piece fixture against Charlton Athletic U23’s on Saturday 2nd July. That will be followed by another football league club, Gillingham sending down a young XI for another home game on Tuesday 5th July. Traditional fixtures against Lydd and New Romney also feature in the schedule with the former being at home and the latter being away. The last two confirmed fixtures will see us take on sides from the Isthmian South East division who finished last season strongly.
A visit to ex-SCEFL rivals Corinthian will take place on 16th July and our final friendly will see us welcome ex-Glebe boss Harry Hudson and his Sevenoaks side to the Charles Ground.
The confirmed fixtures are as follows:
Saturday 2nd July – Charlton Athletic U23’s (H) – 3.00pm
Tuesday 5th July – Gillingham XI (H) – 7.45pm
Saturday 9th July – Lydd Town (A) – 3.00pm
Saturday 16th July – Corinthian (A) – 3.00pm
Tuesday 19th July – New Romney (H) – 7.45pm
Saturday 23rd July – Sevenoaks (H) – 3.00pm
There is still one showcase fixture left to be confirmed which should take place at the Charles Ground on Tuesday 12th July, further details to follow on that when we have it.
Commenting on the schedule Steve King said ‘We are really pleased with the fixtures we have arranged. To have two football league clubs bring sides to the Charles Ground is a real honour for the club and we look forward to both of those games. The games against Corinthian and Sevenoaks should provide us with real stern tests and ensure we are ready for the start of the season on Saturday 30th July. It would be great to see our usual excellent support at all of our home games’
We look forward to welcoming you all to the Charles Ground from the start of July for what will hopefully be another successful season.