Blue Square Premier - Season Preview
With the 2008 / 09 Blue Square Premier season starting on Friday 8th August, and the Diamonds playing their first game the following afternoon at newly promoted Eastbourne Borough it is a good time to preview the forthcoming season.
RDFC Squad
Manager Garry Hill declared after the Spurs XI game on Monday evening that he knew what his starting line up would be for the Eastbourne Borough game - although to those looking at his squad from afar there appears to be more choice than in recent seasons, but perhaps the injury to Daryl Clare and the lack of match fitness for Rob Wolleaston has narrowed the choices in certain areas.
The 10 new signings include Alan Marriott in goal, Curtis Osano at right-back (after his loan period last season), Sagi Burton at centre back, Gareth Jelleyman at left back, Scott Mitchell and Rob Wolleaston in midfield, Dean McDonald up front as well as strikers Daryl Clare and Lee Phillips , with the 21-man first-team squad completed by wide midfielder Jamie McGuinness . Other developments have been the extended contracts for youngsters Sam Smith and Jake Beecroft, plus the non-contract signing of Justyn Roberts taking the first team squad to 22 players.
The main departures have been Dean Howell who took the chance to play in the Football League with Aldershot Town, plus the recent departure of Jon Challinor. News on all the players that were at the club last season, but that have now moved on is here.
Each of the Diamonds players has an updated profile, and these are indexed on the Team Homepage, along with a Team Photograph.
The Diamonds played seven friendly games in total, with the results and reports as follows :-
The key injury worry at the start of the season is the broken jaw sustained by Daryl Clare in the game against the Arsenal XI, although both Andy Burgess and Rob Wolleaston missed a number of the pre-season games due to injury.
Player stats, and details of player sponsors are here.
Our Opponents
The Blue Square Premier continues with 24 clubs, Mansfield Town and Wrexham having replaced Aldershot Town and Exeter City from the Coca-Cola Leagues.
Also joining the league are Kettering Town , Barrow , Eastbourne Borough and Lewes , with Stafford Rangers, Farsley Celtic and Droylsden having been relegated, and Halifax Town having been hit by financial difficulties which denied them a place in this league, meaning Altrincham were reprieved from relegation.
As with every close season, there has been transfer activity throughout the close season - there is a summary on the League Sponsors Website - here.
Apart from the 10 signings at Nene Park, perhaps the most noteworthy transfer activity has been at last season's defeated play-off teams - Torquay United , Burton Albion and Cambridge United - along with Oxford United and Stevenage Borough.
Torquay United have secured the services of Tyrone Thompson and Mustapha Carayol, both of whom will be remembered from the heavy defeat the Diamonds suffered at Crawley last season. In addition to a number of other signings they have signed Wayne Carlisle from Exeter City.
Cambridge United started the summer with a number of their squad that lost the play-offs leaving the club, but recently they have boosted their squad by re-signing Courtney Pitt, and brought in Jon Challinor, Anthony Tonkin, Phil Bolland (released by Wrexham) and Paul Carden as player coach.
Burton Albion had largely had a quiet summer, other than Daryl Clare moving to Irthlingborough, but their recent signing of ex-Diamond Greg Pearson has raised a few eyebrows.
Other ex-Diamonds players on the move this summer have included Mark Albrighton moving to Stevenage, Jean-Michel Sigere and Simon Wormull to Eastbourne Borough, Conal Platt to Forest Green Rovers and Gareth Seddon to Kettering Town.
Oxford United have brought James Constable back into the Conference after his short stay at Shrewsbury Town, and Bristol Rovers striker Lewis Haldane is also among ten new signings, most of whom have Football League experience.
Stevenage Borough made their signings early in the summer, with Mark Albrighton accompanied by Craig Westcarr, Iyseden Christie and Eddie Anaclet.
The two relegated teams will be an unknown quantity. Mansfield Town have signed a collection of ex-Conference players such as Michael Blackwood, and ex-League players such as Alan O'Hare and veteran Jason Lee. Wrexham have signed Jefferson Louis, but their attempt to sign Paul Carden were thwarted when he became player / coach at Cambridge United.
The Diamonds 10 signings has been surpassed by Weymouth who have totted up 11 new players, as well as being equalled by Oxford United. The team with the quietest summer have been Histon, who had an excellent first season at this level last season.
Fixtures
The Diamonds fixture list is here, with individual home and away lists held in the sections detailing ticketing arrangements. Details of travel arrangements for both home and away games can also be found on the website, as well as the revised parking details.
Highlights of the fixture list include the first ever meeting with Eastbourne Borough in the first game of the season, two meetings with Stevenage over the Christmas period, the early season games against Wrexham, plus a chance to earn a first ever point against Histon at the August Bank Holiday, or in the Easter Monday return game. Old rivals Kidderminster are also faced over the August Bank holiday weekend, and the Diamonds will be live on Setanta TV when they face Lewes for the first time in mid-September, and the cameras will return to Nene Park on Monday 29th September for the visit of Altrincham.
After winning the Maunsell Cup, qualifying action in the Hillier Cup will start with a trip to Rothwell, and Saturday games in the FA Cup and FA Trophy will provide the usual additional interest.
Details of fund raising activities such as the popular 50 / 50 and Diamonds Draw for the new season can be found on the Fans Homepage, and hospitality options are in the Corporate Section.
