Just HOW did little Westfield FC get ex-Bournemouth and Newcastle players to sign for them?

So we thought it only right to quiz the Mid Sussex League premier division side’s chairman Jack Stapley about just how they had secured the services of ex-Bournemouth duo Charlie Daniels and Dan Gosling.

Here’s how we reported the news that ex-Portsmouth defender Daniels and former Everton, Newcastle and Watford midfielder Gosling had agreed to join Westfield, whose majority owner is their ex-Cherries team-mate Steve Cook.

So... everyone in non-league football is thinking ... how ON EARTH have you managed to get two former Premier League players to sign for a team currently in the 7th tier of non-league?

Jack: I’d like to say it was my negotiating skills, but in truth both guys are friends of Steve’s and were keen to help him out. I know, that’s a pretty boring answer really!

Many will also be wondering - are Charlie and Dan getting paid to play for you? There have been some comments that assume they are saying 'it's not sustainable' at that level of football - what is your reply to that?

I’ve been quietly chuckling along to some of the comments I’ve been reading, £1,000 here and £2,500 there. If that was the case they have certainly wouldn’t be signing for Westfield. In truth they’re not being paid a penny, that’s the same for all of our players.

All of our money is being piled into the infrastructure of the club to get the ground up to spec, improve our youth teams and make the pitch the best it can possibly be.

With Steve Cook as majority owner, could there be any more big-name signings to come?

Never say never, but that is more than likely it for the season coming, there will be some big signings locally as we get back to our core players but as for ex-pros, I’m sure that’s it.

How often realistically do you think Dan and Charlie will turn out? Obviously, they have Watford commitments but might you see them on any Saturday when they are not working with any Watford teams?

They have said they’ll play as many games as they can depending on their commitments. I’m hopeful we will see them more than we don’t, but nothing is set in concrete as yet.

With them in the team, presumably the aim is to the win the Mid Sussex premier? Is there a genuine hope you can do that - how close have you come to that in recent years?

With or without them the aim was always to win the league this coming season, To be honest we should have won it last year in the end, had it not been for a couple of decisions that went against us in both Oxted games and a poor performance at home to Lindfield last game of the season (albeit with nothing to play for – had the league been on the line I have no doubts it would have been different and we would have pipped eventual and deserved winners Ringmer AFC.

We have a fantastic squad and there has been a lot of interest from near and far for new players to join the side, Pre-season starts on Saturday (June 22) and I know the management team are looking likely to be casting their eyes over 40+ players in the first couple of weeks.

With the club now at its new ground, are you ready for SCFL football if the opportunity arises?

This is an interesting question, one I’m working extremely hard to make sure is a reality, The stand is being delivered in August, terracing for standing is going up before the season starts as well.

We are in the market for a food hut and then it’s the floodlights, we have done all the ecological parts of the planning application and will be looking to put in the full application in the next couple of months ready to get funding in place to allow the promotion to happen.

I’m extremely confident that all would be fine, ready for the 25-26 season.