With no
sign of former number one Dan Lincoln returning, the Rocks may start the season
with two keepers on the books – something they have not tended to do in recent
times.
Searle
joined Salisbury in June 2017 from Motorama National League South outfit Havant
& Waterlooville.
He returned
to the Raymond McEnhill Stadium after an excellent first spell on loan in the
club’s inaugural season of 2015/16 when he helped the Whites to the Sydenhams
Football League (Wessex) title and the semi-final of the Buildbase FA Vase with
some outstanding displays.
As well
as Salisbury, Searle also had loan spells with AFC Totton and Petersfield Town
whilst on the Hawks` books.
The Rocks
could have three Portsmouth youngsters boosting their squad this season.
They are
set to secure the return of striker Brad Lethbridge, centre-half Joe Dandy and
goalkeeper Petar Durin.
The trio,
if their loans can be finalised, will add significant strength as boss Jack
Pearce and coach Robbie Blake aim for a squad in which competition for places
is hotter than ever.
Lethbridge
scored 13 goals on loan at Nyewood Lane last season while Dandy and Durin each
had very brief loan spells – Dandy’s having been ended early by an injury that
ruled him out for the rest of the season, and Durin used only when first-choice
keeper Dan Lincoln was out.
Bognor
boss Jack Pearce said the club had ‘near enough’ agreed with Pompey that
Lethbridge would play for the Rocks again in their 2019/20 campaign. And he
said Dandy and Durin were featuring in friendlies, including last night’s visit
to Horndean, with a view to signing them on loan.
If the
three stars – all aged just 18 – can be added to the Bognor squad, it will beef
up numbers already looking good following the signing of another ex-Pompey duo,
striker Dan Smith and midfielder Freddie Read.
Added to
the return of former fan favourites James Crane and Stuart Green, plus the
retention of key men from the existing squad like top scorer Jimmy Muitt,
midfielder Doug Tuck and central defender Keaton Wood, it gives the Rocks a
competitive-looking dressing room.
They have
also signed defensive midfielder Tommy Leigh – brother of left-back Ashton
Leigh – from Baffins Milton Rovers after he impressed in the home friendlies
against Havant & Waterlooville and Pompey.
According
to Pearce, any new recruits will be joining a squad in which spirits and
confidence are high, boosted by a team-bonding trip to the Midlands last week
which saw the players do everything from putting up a 24-man tent to going on a
three-mile run and engaging in 6 hours of training – after being woken up at
6.30am!
The trip
ended with a friendly against Total Motion Midland League side Long Eaton United
on Sunday which finished 1-1, with Read scoring Bognor’s goal.
Pearce told
the club`s website: “It was a very worthwhile trip and the players were worked
very hard. They learned some new skills and took on board a lot from our hosts
from the armed forces about teamwork and discipline.
“We’ll do
it again but probably try to do it closer to home and maybe with a match before
the weekend rather than during it. But it was very, very good and I don’t think
you’d find any of the 19 players who went say they didn’t enjoy it”. |