BRAKES AIM TO GO FOR BROKE!
LONG-SERVING boss Paul Holleran is urging his new recruits to seize their chance in the Leamington spotlight. A year ago, Holleran plucked striker Josh March from Step 3 Alvechurch, giving him the chance to show what he could do a rung higher. Sixteen National League North goals in the first half of the season proved enough for the 23-yearold to earn a move into the Football League with Forest Green Rovers. It left a big hole in the Leamington firing line and the Brakes finished a lowly 18th via points per game. Holleran knew it was time to restructure his squad and is hopeful his opening five recruits will plug important gaps. Goalkeeper Jake Weaver, 23, is already well known to Leamington fans after spending last season on loan at the New Windmill Ground, winning the supporters’ player of the year honour. Let go by Birmingham City, he has now joined permanently.
Delighted
Defender Kyle Morrison, 24, has arrived from Alvechurch and midfielder Simeon Maye, 25, from Brackley. Up front, Holleran has added Lance Smith, 28, from Hereford and Danny Waldron, 24, from Rushall Olympic.
“Getting the goalkeeper situation sorted was a big thing on my mind,” said Holleran, who has been in charge for 11 years. “Jake came in last season and replaced Tony Breeden who had been here for years. He did really well and when Blues didn’t keep him on, he had to decide whether to go in as a number two or three keeper higher up or get another 40 or 50 games under his belt with us. We were delighted he chose us.
“When we signed Josh from Alvechurch, we also noticed Kyle. He’s still young, but has played something like
200 games at Step 3 so he’s got experience as well. I spoke to one or two with more experience, but I liked everything about him.
“Simeon has been on our radar. He’s local-ish, the right age and has a lot of energy. He’s probably not played consistently at this level, but he could get more of a chance here.
“Lance is a player I tried to sign twice before. I thought I had him when he left Evesham, but the pull of Hereford was too much. He’s a good, hard-working number nine. He’s had an ankle injury, but that’s looking good and he’s done really well in pre-season. He’s got a bit of a point to prove.
“I was chasing Danny all summer and I’m delighted I stuck at it. He came onto the scene at Rushall, is 6ft 2, two-footed, has got a bit of pace and isn’t bad in the air. He ticks a lot of boxes.
Optimistic
“He was very effective at Step 3 and could go down the same route as one or two others have done.”
And Holleran, who turns 50 next month and is approaching 1,000 games in management, wants all his players, including those already on the books, to make the most of their opportunity.
“We do look at Step 3 players, up-and-coming players and players who have been released,” he explained. “They should have the mindset that they can get into, or back into, full-time football. The best way is to perform in the National League – the rest will look after itself.”
As for what the Warwickshire outfit can achieve this season, Holleran is optimistic – and also realistic.
“National League North is a really strong league,” he said. “It’s a bit like the Premier League – you can split it into three sections. You sort of know where Spennymoor, York, Boston, Brackley and a few others will be. “We’ve been in that bottom third and hovering around it. The next step is trying to be a team that gets into that next tier.
“It’s within our capabilities to compete with teams settled and established in the division. That has to be the aim.”