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Men's Squad 2024/25

This one (Porter) is going to divide popular opinion, but I'm backing him to win over many doubters, as Kresh did last season. I felt Porter's best performances in a Hamlet shirt were under Hak, who wanted to retain him a year ago and clearly rates him as a known quantity. Yes, his overreactions to innocuous situations and incidents are infuriating, but I don't believe it's malicious and I think he genuinely can't help himself. The only time I've spoken to him, very briefly, was after the first pre-season game he played for us 2 years ago when I'd been doing the PA and he asked directions to the bar. He seemed very polite and friendly, and others I know have said the same. The only time he really disappointed me was that late red card at Hungerford that meant he was suspended from the crucial final match, when we needed a point to stay up, but the real damage had already been done and plenty were more culpable than he was. On balance, I think he's probably a good fit for our club.
 
Given how light we were on striking options last season, I think this can work if we bring in another good striker on top of porter and mills. If porter can knuckle down and focus on playing not playing up, he’s an ok backup. If we go into the season with mills and porter I’d be very disappointed
 
This one (Porter) is going to divide popular opinion, but I'm backing him to win over many doubters, as Kresh did last season. I felt Porter's best performances in a Hamlet shirt were under Hak, who wanted to retain him a year ago and clearly rates him as a known quantity. Yes, his overreactions to innocuous situations and incidents are infuriating, but I don't believe it's malicious and I think he genuinely can't help himself. The only time I've spoken to him, very briefly, was after the first pre-season game he played for us 2 years ago when I'd been doing the PA and he asked directions to the bar. He seemed very polite and friendly, and others I know have said the same. The only time he really disappointed me was that late red card at Hungerford that meant he was suspended from the crucial final match, when we needed a point to stay up, but the real damage had already been done and plenty were more culpable than he was. On balance, I think he's probably a good fit for our club.

All fair points, but tbh, I just don't get him. I don't know what he brings exactly. He's not a goalscorer, he's not a lightning quick winger, I wouldn't label him as some kind of flashy no.10, or a playmaker. I can't even really tell if he's a winger or a central player. Maybe he's a jack of all trades, in fairness, but I think if we have designs on promotion this year we need really reliable, effective attackers. I think this squad looks short of goals at the moment, which worries me. Mills and Wanadio aren't enough, and Wanadio doesn't have a track record of getting the numbers he got last season.

Agree that Kresh was better last season but I didn't ever look at him and think 'we've got to keep him fit if we want promotion.' Feel the same with Porter. Feel like I saw plenty of opposition players last season that looked better. Hope I'm proved wrong.
 
Given how light we were on striking options last season, I think this can work if we bring in another good striker on top of porter and mills. If porter can knuckle down and focus on playing not playing up, he’s an ok backup. If we go into the season with mills and porter I’d be very disappointed
All fair points, but tbh, I just don't get him. I don't know what he brings exactly. He's not a goalscorer, he's not a lightning quick winger, I wouldn't label him as some kind of flashy no.10, or a playmaker. I can't even really tell if he's a winger or a central player. Maybe he's a jack of all trades, in fairness, but I think if we have designs on promotion this year we need really reliable, effective attackers. I think this squad looks short of goals at the moment, which worries me. Mills and Wanadio aren't enough, and Wanadio doesn't have a track record of getting the numbers he got last season.

Agree that Kresh was better last season but I didn't ever look at him and think 'we've got to keep him fit if we want promotion.' Feel the same with Porter. Feel like I saw plenty of opposition players last season that looked better. Hope I'm proved wrong.

One of our biggest weaknesses last season was the lack of someone who can play off Millsy. The Wizard did to a degree, but his strength is as a goalscoring winger. Pingling never really got the chance, or was unable to seize the opportunity. Porter can do that. He's a forward who doesn't slot into any definite orthodox role, but he gives us a lot of options.

We're not going to sign a whole squad of new players who are all a great fit. We need to retain a core of familiar players, which includes returning ex-players. Yes, there are players out there who may be better than Porter or Krasniqi, but they may not be the right fit for our club. How many of last summer's recruits arrived with high hopes, only to fall short of expectations? We're playing stick or twist with a lot of personnel, and we need to stick with a few of them.
 
Don’t disagree with that either. Porter played his best football end of 22/23 playing as a 2 off mills. So hopefully under hak he cuts out the petulance and does the business.

One of our biggest weaknesses last season was the lack of someone who can play off Millsy. The Wizard did to a degree, but his strength is as a goalscoring winger. Pingling never really got the chance, or was unable to seize the opportunity. Porter can do that. He's a forward who doesn't slot into any definite orthodox role, but he gives us a lot of options.

We're not going to sign a whole squad of new players who are all a great fit. We need to retain a core of familiar players, which includes returning ex-players. Yes, there are players out there who may be better than Porter or Krasniqi, but they may not be the right fit for our club. How many of last summer's recruits arrived with high hopes, only to fall short of expectations? We're playing stick or twist with a lot of personnel, and we need to stick with a few of them.
 
Interesting that Porter’s return included a conversation with Ben Clasper, seemingly about some of the concerns raised in earlier posts.
 
Pleased that we have kept the better players from last season now with the addition of Jeffrey and Scott. The only other i would have kept would have been Parry but that was discounted early on. Lets hope the additions are better than last year. We have problably learned that bringing in older experienced players only works if they can maintain their fitness and form on less training time . I was excited when we signed Ricketts and Clifton but neither could put together a sustained period of form. We definitely need another central striker in the Eddie D'sane mould to give us something different. No doubt we will have triallists in the friendlies .
 
Latest squads for the division attached, with this week's updates highlighted in yellow.

Players confirmed as retained are in black, new signings in red.

Asterisk = new terms offered but not yet confirmed. Names struck through have since rejected those offers.

Still no news on Josh Shonibare, who didn't feature yesterday. I'm guessing he's probably been training with a higher level club on a triallist basis. None of the Dover and Folkestone players who remain unconfirmed featured in their team line ups for yesterdays friendlies, so I'm guessing none of them will be returning now.

Newly promoted Bowers & Pitsea were the biggest movers this week. Two of their new recruits are from newly relegated Concord, and the rest are all from Step 4 clubs. Chichester "expect" to retain all but two of their promotion winning squad, according to the local newspaper, which named the 6 I've listed.

There's still a notable lack of news from several clubs, such as Hashtag, Hastings and Lewes. Those three all did fairly well last season, but my impression is that the last two (who have each changed their manager) will have a significantly smaller budget and may find it harder this time.
 

Attachments

  • ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SQUADS.pdf
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And a slew of announcements there was, including the important retentions of Jeffrey and Scott.

16 players now announced so would imagine around six to eight squad places to fill, and from Pink Panther's write up of the Fisher game there are trialists being looked at across all positions. I've left Sean Bonnett-Johnson and Josh Shonibare as 'in discussions' until anything is formally announced one way or another.

Retained:
Jerome Binnom-Williams
Michael Chambers
Kaya Hansson
Anthony Jeffrey
Kreshnic Krasniqi
Danny Mills
Ryley Scott
Luke Wanadio


Arrivals:
Dillon Barnes (Haringey Borough)
Sam German (Bromley, season loan)
Ralfi Hand (Charlton)
Max Hudson (Hayes & Yeading United)
Lorenzo Lewis (Merstham)
George Porter (Cray Wanderers)
Louis Ramsay (Billericay)
Jordan Wynter (Dartford)


In discussion:
Sean Bonnett-Johnson
Josh Shonibare


Departures:
Alfie Allen
Craig Braham-Barrett
Adrian Clifton
R'avan Constable
Preston Edwards (Cheshunt, Asst. Manager)
Alfie Egan
Harrison Hatfull (Margate)
Will Lakin (Stamford)
Peter Ojemen
Manny Parry (Hanworth Villa)
Mark Ricketts (Boreham Wood, Asst. Manager)
Ademola Shokunbi
Ayuk Tarh


Loans Expired:
Roarie Deacon
 
Any idea what we started last season with squad numbers wise?

I get the impression from Hak he’ll go with a smaller squad this season, allowing him to have a bit freedom to wheel and deal, unlike last season

And a slew of announcements there was, including the important retentions of Jeffrey and Scott.

16 players now announced so would imagine around six to eight squad places to fill, and from Pink Panther's write up of the Fisher game there are trialists being looked at across all positions. I've left Sean Bonnett-Johnson and Josh Shonibare as 'in discussions' until anything is formally announced one way or another.

Retained:
Jerome Binnom-Williams
Michael Chambers
Kaya Hansson
Anthony Jeffrey
Kreshnic Krasniqi
Danny Mills
Ryley Scott
Luke Wanadio


Arrivals:
Dillon Barnes (Haringey Borough)
Sam German (Bromley, season loan)
Ralfi Hand (Charlton)
Max Hudson (Hayes & Yeading United)
Lorenzo Lewis (Merstham)
George Porter (Cray Wanderers)
Louis Ramsay (Billericay)
Jordan Wynter (Dartford)


In discussion:
Sean Bonnett-Johnson
Josh Shonibare


Departures:
Alfie Allen
Craig Braham-Barrett
Adrian Clifton
R'avan Constable
Preston Edwards (Cheshunt, Asst. Manager)
Alfie Egan
Harrison Hatfull (Margate)
Will Lakin (Stamford)
Peter Ojemen
Manny Parry (Hanworth Villa)
Mark Ricketts (Boreham Wood, Asst. Manager)
Ademola Shokunbi
Ayuk Tarh


Loans Expired:
Roarie Deacon
 
Any idea what we started last season with squad numbers wise?

I get the impression from Hak he’ll go with a smaller squad this season, allowing him to have a bit freedom to wheel and deal, unlike last season
We had 23 confirmed by the opening day of the season, not including at least 2 further triallists (Lovatt, Pascal) who ultimately featured in league games.
 
First of the trialists to be announced, and as spotted a few games back by Pink Panther.

Vastly experienced attacking midfielder who played a big part for Carshalton last year - 41 games and 5 goals, including against us on Boxing Day.

 
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First of the trialists to be announced, and as spotted a few games back by Pink Panther.

Vastly experienced attacking midfielder who played a big part for Carshalton last year - 41 games and 5 goals, including against us on Boxing Day.



Interesting one. I would guess, given his age, he's coming in as a squad member rather than a regular starter. Much older now, but I remember seeing him when he first broke through at Carshalton and he was phenomenal.
 
First of the trialists to be announced, and as spotted a few games back by Pink Panther.

Vastly experienced attacking midfielder who played a big part for Carshalton last year - 41 games and 5 goals, including against us on Boxing Day.

I was tipped off a few weeks ago that he was nailed on to sign, but he's a very experienced player (aged 37) who is easily recognised from Editor's photo blog on the Boxing Day game:


hamlet-2-1-carshalton-dec-2023-10.jpg
 
I haven't updated by database of Premier Division squads for a few weeks, with so little activity at our own club, so I've attached the latest version below.

Names in black are retained, names in red are new recruits, names struck through were announced and subsequently released. Those highlighted in yellow are updates since 8th July.

Other than Mark Marshall, this was up to and including Sunday evening. Dartford have just announced 4 more academy players have "signed terms" this lunchtime, but with all 3 of the previous retained players being teenagers I'm guessing the manager won't be including all of them in his matchday squad on a regular basis. I suspect he realises how tough this division is, bearing in mind how Billericay and ourselves fared after relegation, and sees the building of a properly competitive squad as at least a 2 year project.

Almost everyone has named the bulk of a full squad now, except Lewes and Hashtag. The former seem to be very cagey and appear to be shopping in the bargain basement this year, despite landing a couple of younger players with considerable unfulfilled potential in Alfie Allen and Marcus Sablier. The latter only seem to communicate through Twitter these days and haven't put out any clear and coherent statements, other than match updates for their friendlies which have mentioned a few names I recognise from last season. Folkestone have been strangely quiet of late, having been quick out of the blocks with a raft of expensive looking new recruits in May/June. Unlike everyone else, Cheshunt appear to have named all the players who've appeared in their friendlies, some of whom must be triallists who will inevitably be cut before the proper games start, hence the large number on their list. These include Daniel Izekor, the very impressive Athletic Newham forward who scored twice at Champion Hill in the London Senior Cup two seasons ago, and Nassim Regragui who scored for Kingstonian in our defeat at Imperial Fields in March.

I still feel Billericay, Chatham and Horsham (in alphabetical order) look like being our strongest rivals, but we look in much better shape than at the same stage last year, so I don't see why we can't be up there amongst them. I think Cray Valley will be highly competitive after a phenomenal promotion season under Steve McKimm, one of 3 former Hamlet players managing our rivals, along with Gary McCann and Peter Adeniyi. Folkestone will doubtless be fancied by many, but not by me, and a few comments I've heard recently suggest they could turn out to be a bit of a circus act.
 

Attachments

  • ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SQUADS.pdf
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Another triallist signed:


Aged 19, he spent the last 2 seasons at Watford, having previously played non-league for Hertford Town. Last season he had loan spells at Royston Town and Haringey Borough, making his debut for the latter a few days after the last of their 4 meetings with the Hamlet.

He scored the winning goal at Hythe last weekend.
 
Retained:
Jerome Binnom-Williams
Michael Chambers
Kaya Hansson
Anthony Jeffrey
Kreshnic Krasniqi
Danny Mills
Ryley Scott
Luke Wanadio


Arrivals:
Dillon Barnes (Haringey Borough)
Sam German (Bromley, season loan)
Ralfi Hand (Charlton)
Max Hudson (Hayes & Yeading United)
Lorenzo Lewis (Merstham)
George Porter (Cray Wanderers)
Louis Ramsay (Billericay)
Jordan Wynter (Dartford)
Mark Marshall (Carshalton Athletic)

James Collins (Watford)

In discussion:
Sean Bonnett-Johnson

Departures:
Alfie Allen (Lewes)
Craig Braham-Barrett
Adrian Clifton
R'avan Constable
Preston Edwards (Cheshunt, Asst. Manager)
Alfie Egan
Harrison Hatfull (Margate)
Will Lakin (Stamford)
Peter Ojemen
Manny Parry (Hanworth Villa)
Mark Ricketts (Boreham Wood, Asst. Manager)
Ademola Shokunbi
Ayuk Tarh
Josh Shonibare


Loans Expired:
Roarie Deacon



Updated list. Moved Shonibare to 'Departures' because he hasn't featured at all so far, so I guess he's gone.

I make that 18 players now. I guess we're aiming for around 20, 21? I expect we'll get another keeper to support Barnes, so realistically that's two, maybe three, more players to sign?
 
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Would say a centre-back (believe there’s been a trialist involved there throughout preseason who’s also covered right-back on occasion), and a deeper sitting midfielder (who could well be the returning Bonnett-Johnson) are the positions that look most needed at the moment, as well as a back-up ‘keeper.

Will also be interesting to see where some of those departed players end up over the next week or so - none have taken a step up so far, and a number not yet fixed up.
 
Would say a centre-back (believe there’s been a trialist involved there throughout preseason who’s also covered right-back on occasion), and a deeper sitting midfielder (who could well be the returning Bonnett-Johnson) are the positions that look most needed at the moment, as well as a back-up ‘keeper.

Will also be interesting to see where some of those departed players end up over the next week or so - none have taken a step up so far, and a number not yet fixed up.

In his latest interview, Hak let slip the name "Dami" when referring to a defender he's been very impressed with, but that’s not the white lad who started in place of Chambers against Dagenham and has been covering at right back since Ramsay got injured. That player was positively identified to me by another supporter, and he played against us at least twice in National South, but his previous club announced he would be taking last season off due to work commitments after relocating to South London.

The same triallist keeper has been involved in all the friendlies, so it seems likely he'll be staying, but I've no idea who he is. The same goes for Sean Bonnett-Johnson.

This centre forward scored the first goal at Fisher and the equaliser at Hythe, and has appeared in all the games I've seen, but again I know nothing about his background. I guess he may be less likely to stay now Collins is confirmed.

Screenshot_20240727_224105_Gallery.jpg

I'm surprised how few of our released players have resurfaced elsewhere. Some have probably been playing as anonymous triallists. I reckon Shonibare will have been on trial with a higher level club and Braham-Barrett is still good enough at 35 for one of the better sides at our level, or one of the lesser lights in National South.

Most clubs will be playing their final friendly tomorrow, so I expect a lot of additional signings confirmed across the division during the next 72 hours.
 
I liked him. Raw but definitely got good potential

Another triallist signed:


Aged 19, he spent the last 2 seasons at Watford, having previously played non-league for Hertford Town. Last season he had loan spells at Royston Town and Haringey Borough, making his debut for the latter a few days after the last of their 4 meetings with the Hamlet.

He scored the winning goal at Hythe last weekend.
 
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