Kings trio join former boss at United
New manager moves fast to bring in a raft of new faces HAYES & YEADING
FAMILIAR FACE: PAUL Hughes is hoping to replicate his Kings Langley success at Hayes & Yeading United – and has signed three more of the players who helped him achieve it.
Hughes and assistant Richie Hanlon led the Hertfordshire side to three successive promotions before taking up the vacant positions at United this month.
The pair took charge of their first Southern Premier match for United at the weekend, a 2-0 defeat at high-flying Leamington, and handed debuts to three more former Langley players – Danny Boness, Mahlondo Martin and Mitchell Weiss.
Keeper Boness, pictured above left, is a former West Ham scholar who has played for Colchester, Grays Athletic and Biggleswade Town, while Weiss joins on loan from Hemel Hempstead, and former Greenford High pupil Martin, who came through the ranks at Watford, joins from Salisbury.
Hughes said: “The secret of our success at Kings Langley was everyone was 100 per cent committed. Everyone was prepared to roll their sleeves up and graft.
POTENT: TJG1ST You don’t get three promotions without unity, and that’s what I want to replicate here.
“I see no reason why we cannot get back into the Conference National. The stadium looks good and, when it’s ready, if we can move back there winning games, I’m sure the crowds will return. For now though, it’s about pulling away from danger. The drop zone is not a nice place and once you’re in it, it’s very difficult to get out. We’re fourth from bottom. We had to change it quickly, so we’ve brought in players who know how to execute what we want to do.”
The former Langley trio were not the only players making their debuts at Leamington. Also taking a bow were winger Terence Carter, who has joined on loan from Wealdstone, and former Nottingham Forest under-21 defender Jack Kelly – pictured above right – from Hemel Hempstead.
Hughes added: “I was very impressed at Leamington. It would have been easy to capitulate when 2-0 down at half time at the league leaders, but we did quite the opposite and dominated the second half. Considering we’ve barely had a week with this team, I was happy with the display.”
United, who were due to host Egham Town in the League Cup last night, have no game this weekend but travel to Hitchin Town on Monday night.