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Squad nears completion ahead of Clarets v Histon
Chelmsford City head coach Glenn Pennyfather is confident the Clarets are close to finalising their 2008/09 Blue Square South squad, ahead of their final home friendly against Histon this Saturday, kick-off 3pm
Glenn reckons the players can't wait for the competitive campaign to begin. Representing the management team at Thursday night's Fans Forum, held at the Clubhouse, the former Ipswich Town stalwart revealed: "The players are chomping at the bit and they wanted the League season to start this Saturday, really. They are now ready for the challenge, so it's all about unleashing them."
Having completed signings off the calibre of Dave Rainford and Chris Moore from Dagenham & Redbridge over the summer, Glenn and manager Jeff King now have a team with championship-winning potential to select from - and Pennyfather is delighted with how preparations for next season have progressed.
He said: "All but four of the players we want have signed and we're not actively looking to bring in any more, although people are always enquiring about joining the club and we want the best team here that we can possibly have, adding to our existing strength in depth.
"We don't intend to rotate our side this season - we want the strongest team out on the pitch based on merit. The size of the squad means some people will have to be left out but they are all professional enough to know that they need to be at the top of their game to be included.
"There's a real competition for places and you can see in training how competitive the players are to show what they can do. We are just waiting on those four players to put pen to paper to bring the ranks up to 21."
"Amongst our current squad there is the potential for a number of individuals to be loaned out to bring them up to scratch for the Blue Square South, so we have that option available to us. None of our players is voluntarily being released, although Lee Protheroe has recently left the club with our best wishes."
The vast majority of the squad have achieved peak fitness, with seven pre-season friendlies already under their belts and Pennyfather confirmed several others are nearing their best with the new season just around the corner.
"Chris Moore had mostly been training under his own steam before he joined us so he is playing a bit of catch-up, while Ollie Berquez did have a niggling injury which he's shaken off and he's now back to full fitness," Glenn explained.
"We all know Jason Hallett has come back from a bad injury and we appreciate the efforts he's putting in to get back to his best."
One question eager to be asked from the floor at the Forum was about the future of the management's 4-5-1 formation which brought so much success in the Ryman Premier Championship season.
Glenn said: "We've looked to rectify the issue of not having enough strikers last season. We only really had Bertie Brayley and Kezie Ibe and they didn't really gel together playing up-front at the same time. The new signings we have brought in give us more options as it's quite different playing pretty football during some games, then travelling away on a wet Tuesday in February and competing in six inches of mud!"
Focusing on this season, Pennyfather and King are under no illusions as to the task in front of them if they are to claim the first place spot they aspire to.
Glenn said: "I think our main opposition for the title will obviously include AFC Wimbledon who have a large fan base like ourselves, Havant & Waterlooville who have signed a number of good players from previous champions Lewes. I also expect Bromley to be a strong side again.
"You can also look at teams like Fisher Athletic and Braintree Town to see that there are a number of contenders for top spot."
Meanwhile, Steve Fallon's Histon side have acted as a firm role model for any club which aspires to making steady progress up the pyramid, securing a seventh-place finish in the top flight of the non-league game after several promotions and setting a benchmark City's own management team will look to follow.
With the Clarets' squad now shaping up, the final selection will make their way out onto the Church Lane pitch for the club's first ever Blue Square South fixture, against Hayes & Yeading United next Saturday, August 9.
Celebrations weren't in short supply last season after securing first place, and Pennyfather concluded there will be more player-supporters relations to look forward to in 2008/09: "The players will be spending more time in the supporters' bar next year and they are all very approachable, some more than others! For example, Danny Gay will talk the hind legs off a donkey if you let him!"
Adults can gain terrace access to the Histon match for the further reduced cost of £5, with concessions gaining admission for £2. The game also benefits from Kids for a Quid status, meaning under-16s accompanied by adults get in for just one pound.
City's remaining pre-season friendly is away to Concord Rangers on Monday, kick-off 7.45pm.
10:08am Friday 1st August 2008
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