Signings
Kevin Burgess joined the Quakers from Whitby Town this week to become the third signing of the summer.
On paper he looks a great addition to the squad. As good as Alan White was last season, he won’t be able to go on forever and Burgess should provide some competition for the centre back position, which at times we struggled with last season through injury.
It will be interesting to see who we start with, if it will be Hunter and White or Hunter and Burgess. Either way the new signing should be able to provide experience at this level having played for Whitby in the division.
Adam Nowakowski joined a couple of weeks ago and is very much in the mold of a Martin Gray player, a man who can play in multiple positions. Like Tez Galbraith, Gary Brown and Leon Scott who have all played in different positions for the club, Nowakowski can play all over the park with his best position being at centre-midfield.
Like with Burgess, it will be interesting to see come the opening day if he slots straight into the team. If he does, it could be at the expense of Leon Scott. He is reported to be a tough tackling midfielder, who would fit in well alongside last year’s player of the season Tom Portas.
The first signing we made this summer, Rob Youhill, joins from Harrogate RA and has been very impressive in games against the Quakers. The winger is highly rated and will link up with friend and former team mate Nathan Cartman. Alongside Stephen Thompson and Adam Mitchell, Youhill will become the third out and out winger at the club which should provided us valuable options.
As far as further signings go, Gray has said he will be bringing in a goalkeeper following the departure of veteran Mark Bell. However, past this I don’t expect him to add many other new players. In my opinion the squad we finished the season with was good enough to challenge for promotion again and the three additions provide good competition.
Preseason
Even though it is only early June I am already missing my Saturday Darlo fix and I can’t wait till the pre-season games kick off. We have a hectic schedule of fixtures which should give Gray and his back room staff plenty of time to see all from the first team, as well as those from the youth team who have impressed over the last couple of years.
For me personally I was delighted to see a game lined up away to Seaham Red Star. I have done some reporting on the club this last season as part of my course and can’t speak highly enough of them. They were unstoppable last season as they cruised to the Northern League Second Division title and I will be keeping an eye on them this time around, as I am sure they will do well in the First Division.
Simon Hahn 