Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Teenager to get a contract
Canterbury City
Canterbury City are ready to put 17-year-old Brad Dale on a contract.
The former Whitstable under-18 central midfielder, a pupil at Barton Court Grammar School in Canterbury, is close to signing a two-year arrangement.
Boss Ben Smith said: “Brad has got a great deal of potential, and is one who could grow and grow in the game and we are putting faith in that.”
Dale and Patrick Nzuzi will be the club’s only two contracted players, with the latter still attracting interest from Irish clubs having had a spell previously with Cork City.
Smith was frustrated at having to call off the friendly at Hythe on Tuesday night after being left short of players following the 1-0 defeat against Whitstable at Ashford on Saturday.
He said: “We picked up so many injuries in what was a competitive game and had six or seven nursing knocks.
“None were serious, just little niggles and had it been a league game they would have probably played but we didn’t want them to get worse.
“We pulled out on Monday, after warning Hythe on Sunday morning that we might have to.”
Smith is also running his eye over Dartford Academy midfielder Raheem Sterling and is also bringing in Faversham Town youngsters Josh Mccallum and Jack Sellens on three-month loans.
City drew 3-3 against Southern Combination League side Westfield last Thursday night, coming back from 3-1 down.
New signing Sam Conlon put them in front and after falling 3-1 behind, Jordan Casey and Dave Pilcher pulled them level.
City are due to face a Margate XI at Ashford tonight (Thursday, 7.45pm), ahead of a training day on Saturday.
They travel to Ramsgate on Tuesday (7.30pm).