Saunders adds firepower
New boss Jay Saunders hopes the signing of Louis Collins will help solve Tonbridge’s lack of goals.
Angels had the sixth-best defence in National South under former boss Steve McKimm this season but scored only 43 times in 40 league games.
Strikers Ibrahim Olutade, Jake Embery and Adam Coombes were among seven players released by Saunders in his first week in charge after leaving Margate.
He’s determined to get more out of the team going forward and believes Collins, who finished the season at Gate, has the talent to deliver.
“He was probably only 75% fit when we took him at Margate but you could see what he was about,” said Saunders, who took the forward to Hartsdown Park from Sevenoaks.
“He’s scored goals for Dover in the National League and he came in and scored a couple for us in the handful of games we had him.
“He worked his socks off and showed his quality. He’s only 20, he’s got bundles of ability and he will bring an extra dimension to us.
“I want to bring legs, energy, pace and goals to the team.
“Sometimes they’re the hardest positions to fill but, no disrespect to the boys who were here, they weren’t scoring enough or creating enough, so it’s an opportunity to try and improve it.”
Saunders has added to Angels’ strong backline with the addition of Ben Swift, his old Margate captain.
He’s also handed a new deal to Sonny Miles, a player he released seven years ago at Maidstone after winning the Isthmian Premier title.
“Doing my research, they had the sixth-best defensive record in the league last season, so I didn’t want to lose that side of it,” said Saunders.
“I’m trying to keep Jonny Henly, the keeper, he’s speaking to a couple of clubs, Jamie Fielding is another one I’m trying to keep, and we’ve kept Craig Braham-Barrett, Sonny and Tom Parkinson, and brought in Swifty. I rang Sonny and said you’ve probably seen I’ve got the job.
“He sounded a little bit cautious at first but he’s a good lad and I didn’t want to lose him.
“To be fair, we’ve always stayed in touch, whenever we saw each other we’d shake hands and have a good chat.
“It was a long time ago, he was a lot younger then and when I let him go I didn’t think he was ready for what I needed at that point.
“He was disappointed at the time but he understood. When I rang him I told him I wanted to keep him around.
“He had a couple of offers but I’m really pleased to keep him on board.
“He’s the skipper, he’s nearly the record appearance holder and he’s well-liked, so it was important we kept him.”
Saunders has also retained the experience of Doug Loft, a player he signed for Margate last summer before Tonbridge stepped in days later, and he’s delighted to keep long-serving winger Joe Turner.
“Joe’s a big player and someone I’ve always liked,” said Saunders.
“Apparently he’s always one of the last players to sign so I was really pleased to get that done.
“He didn’t know me or anything about me before we met, he was half-thinking about a change of scenery but we had a really good chat and he put pen to paper straight away, which is great.”
Former Angels boss McKimm has taken charge at Isthmian Premier Carshalton.
Tonbridge took home plenty of golds, with a win in the under17 men’s 400m for Oliver Brooke, while Joe Stone won the under-17 men’s long jump and 200m.
Samuel Newton won the under-15 boys’ high jump, Elicia Lacey took gold in the under-15 girls’ 75m hurdles, Charlie Ellison won the under17 men’s 1,500m steeplechase, Lewis Burr won the 3,000m under15 boys’ walk, Lucinda White took the under20 women’s pole vault title, Amelie Rabbidge won the 80m hurdles and Matilda Secker claimed the high jump in the under17 women category.