1st Team manager Leon Turner welcomed several new signings officially to the club at our last training session before the new season begins. Here's what he had to say on our new additions.
Leon spoke about striker Kuda Kamoto;
"I'm delighted to welcome several new players to the 1st team squad. Kuda Kamoto (pictured) has been a friend of the club despite regularly scoring against us for Hambledon across the years, he is a tremendous addition as a proven goalscorer but also as a person. His honesty and his passion for the project here at Manorcroft was clear from our early discussions and the respect he showed Hambledon before deciding to move shows the class of the man. What a fantastic example for our squad but also for all our juniors."
We have also added centre backs Will Hands and Jack Cleary to the side and the gaffer had this to say;
"We had a lot of changes at centre back last season, ultimately that unsettles your side week in week out and so it was a key area to strengthen this summer. Will is a good age, in his 20's and brings great chat and organisation to the back line, he can defend aggressively when needed and will be a key member of the back line, his geordie accent will easily be heard and identified in leafy Surrey! Jack is still 'young' but is excellent on the ball and in the air and has performed really well in pre season. With the players already at the club we now have a settled feel across the back line and hopefully that can benefit the team this season."
The club has also added experienced midfielders Richard Johnson and Luke Lloyd to the squad, the gaffer adds; "RJ is possibly the best player to ever pull on a Manorcroft shirt, that's no disrespect to anyone that has played or is playing but it's clear from his level of communication, organisation and his ability to problem solve that despite being at the older end of our average age scale he will bring huge amounts of leadership to our group. He can really completment the excellent midfielders we already have and I'm delighted he has signed. Luke is also one of our more mature players, he is aggressive and has already shown some excellent link up play with Kuda and the other forwards. He is slightly more attacking of the two and will play as an 8 or in the 10 and will bring that experience and aggression, he has a calmness on the ball that perhaps can only come with experience and very rarely gives a bad pass. He gets into good shooting positions with clever movement and again I am delighted to welcome him to the club."
Finally Harrison Cleary has joined the club and will bolster the attacking options available to the management. "Harrison is an incredibly hard working and very consensciuos young man, he has some growing still to do but is tenacious and will provide us with the ability to play off either side or in the 9. He has had to work back to fitness after some injury struggles and has worked so hard so I'm really encouraged by his attitude and application. He has a desire to do well and that is something that in life will push him forward"
With match day 1 just days away we look forward to seeing who makes the squad from our new signings, the 1st team kick off their league campaign at home to Worplesdon Phoenix on Saturday 2nd September at 14:00
