Blues boss geard up for league bid

The former Brighton star, who led his team to a creditable top half finish last season, has recruited some of the Rich City League s top names to boost his fledgling squad.

In his first season at the Caburn Geard put together a hastily assembled squad after inheriting just two players from previous manager, Russell Mason. However, his hotchpotch of hard working youngsters worked terrifically hard to prove wrong the pundits who made them favourites for relegation.

Now The Blues boss has recreated the core of the Saltdean side which has fallen just short of top honours in recent seasons.

Last year he tempted Kevin Townsend, Shaun Grice, Max Hamilton and Glenn Davies to the club, while this summer he has already lured Sean Randell, Stuart Corlett and Terry Cooper to the Caburn.

On Tuesday he added another two former Tigers to the squad, goalkeeper Jamie Bryant and defensive hard man Warren Buss.

But can Glen succeed in capturing honours with the same set of players who under achieved at Hill Park?

I believe I can. When I was at Saltdean as assistant they were lacking one or two things and I felt that I knew what they were - but I wasn t the manager, he said.

We ve got to get the right blend in there and I believe I ve got that now.

I ve worked hard in the summer - I could have done with another month s rest. I ve been phoning people and been here, there and everywhere to get a squad together.

The chairman (Richard Soan) expects things from me and if I don t do the job then he ll give me the sack.

I told Richard that I was ambitious and we had to spend a bit more. We re not paying fortunes but those that are worth it we ve put on contracts (Kevin Townsend, Glenn Davies & Shaun Grice).

Richard has done a tremendous job at the club - he is the club, but if you want to win things then you ve got to move on. People are now all pulling in the same direction behind the scenes which is very important.

I m confident that this season we ll be challenging for honours. If teams under-estimate us then they ll be in for a shock.

We played some good football last season and with the players we ve added we ll be better this year. I believe the lads that have come in want to play for me and play football the right way. I ve not come here to finish halfway - I ll be disappointed if we re not a top four side at least.

Only two of last season s squad have so far not signed, Wesley Lopez, who has attracted attention from Saltdean, and fellow striker Wes Tate.

Last year s top scorer, Jason Reid, is expected to undergo surgery on a troublesome knee injury and will miss at least the start of the season.

Published: 19.7.01 Sussex Newspapers Ltd