Forbes and Holt add to new faces at Town
RUNCORN TOWN’S busy time recruiting new players to the squad has continued with the capture of Cefn Druids skipper Dave Forbes and ex-Everton trainee Matty Holt.
Forbes was instrumental in captaining his former team to runners-up in the Cymru Alliance last season, and with it promotion to the Welsh Premier League.
It will be the second time he has teamed up with Runcorn Town’s management team at different clubs.
After starting at Heswall, Forbes joined Chris Herbert at Rhyl in 2012 before moving to Connahs Quay where Mark McGregor was manager.
On the signing, Town boss Herbert, said: “Forbesy has a high work rate and he teamed-up really well with Simon Thelwell in Saturday’s friendly.
The workrate up front was really high and that’s something that I am looking for this season.
“Dave is a willing worker who will run the channels and gets a lot of goals by forcing defenders into mistakes.
“Players on his team appreciate this workrate and his willingness to compete for every ball.”
Experienced defender Holt started off his career at Everton where he represented Wales at both U17 and U19 level.
After a trial at Altrincham, he opted to move to Rhyl where he helped establish them amongst the leading clubs in Wales.
He moved to Caersws in 2009, spending a couple of seasons there before moving back to North Wales to join Herbert at Conwy Borough, and he spent last season at Cefn Druids where he helped them achieve promotion to the Welsh Premier League.
Herbert said: “Matty has come in and done great so far in pre-season.
“He was with me at Conwy Borough so I know what he is about.
“At 6ft 2in he is very strong in the air, he’s a good organiser and can play anywhere across the back four.
“Matty makes us a very big side at the back which I feel is very important in this league.
“He is also a big threat from set-pieces in the box also, and weighs in with quite a few goals during the season.”
Town face some tough-looking opening games in the 2016-17 Hallmark Security League after the first month’s fixtures were released last Friday.
After opening the season with an FA Cup tie on Saturday, August 6, at Pontefract Collieries, Town get their league season underway just two days later when Cammell Laird 1907 visit Pavilions on Monday, August 8 (7.45pm kick-off ).
Saturday, August 13 sees Town travel to Abbey Lane for Hanley Town’s first- ever home game in the Premier Division following their First Division championship win last season (3pm kick-off ).
And a second successive home midweek game comes on Monday, August 15 when Congleton Town visit Pavilions (7.45pm kick-off ).
There are no fixtures scheduled yet for Saturday, August 20, as this is the next round of the FA Cup with fixtures to be arranged following the ties in the extrapreliminary round.
Town’s first midweek away trip comes on Wednesday, August 24 when they travel to the Marine Travel Arena to face AFC Liverpool (7.45pm kick-off ).
Town then go to Manchester on Saturday, August 27 to face Abbey Hey (3pm kick-off), with the final game of the month coming on August Bank Holiday Monday when they entertain 1874 Northwich in a Cheshire derby (3pm kick-off ).
Runcorn’s pre-season campaign continued on Tuesday evening when they found visitors AFC Fylde too hot to handle going down to a 5-1 loss at Pavilions.
Fylde showed their ruthlessness in front of goal in a dominant display.
The Coasters’ goals came from Danny Rowe with a double, Jordan Wynne, James Hardy and Dom Collins.
Aaron Rey netted a late consolation goal for Town.
Runcorn’s next match is home to Colwyn Bay on Saturday. The match at Pavilions kicks-off at 2pm.