Nine signatures in a week: Horsham send message to Isthmian League rivals

For the Hornets have completed a set of six new signings in the past week that sends a clear message to their rivals that they are out to improve upon last season’s sixth-place finish.

The fact they have recruited players from two of their Isthmian premier rivals – Bongor and Lewes – and from National South outfit Dorking shows they mean business.

In addition to six new signings completed in the space of five days, manager Dominic Di Paola has also tempted another three key men from last season’s squad to rejoin.

First to come through the Camping World Community Stadium entrance was full-back JJ O’Sullivan, becoming a permanent Hornet after two loan spells from Dorking.

O’Sullivan became a fan favourite at Horsham, managing 18 appearances and scoring one goal. He said: “As soon as I came down here, I loved it.

"Everyone was so nice and welcoming. I got on with the players straight away, the manager was really nice, and it was just nice to be playing consistently.”

The following day, Hornets fans were delighted to hear news of a ‘homecoming’ – that of midfield star Lewis Taylor.

Thirteen years since his historic goal against Swansea City, Taylor will pull on the Horsham shirt once again after rejoining from Dorking.

Taylor first joined the club in 2006 from Whyteleafe, having been on the books of Fulham and AFC Wimbledon as a youngster.

Next in the door was another Dorking man – defender David Ray, who made more than 300 appearances for Basingstoke, including three seasons in Conference South.

Paola said: “He’s coming in as a player-coach. He’s going to be involved with the management team with a view of being in the squad as well.”

Sunday brought news of midfielder Doug Tuck’s arrival after eight years at Bognor.

He said: “I’d been up here with Bognor in the final game before lockdown. It’s a lovely ground and, if you’re going to play on 3G, you might as well make it this one.”

“It’s not that I didn’t want to play at Bognor any more, it’s more, if you’ve been somewhere for eight years, you do kind of get a bit comfortable.”

Tom Day and Charlie Coppola have arrived at Horsham from divisional rivals Lewes.

Day, 22, is most comfortable at centre-half but is capable of playing anywhere across the back four. On the books of Crystal Palace and Barnet as a youngster, he made one Football League appearance for the Bees in 2016 before being released and dropping into non-league.

Coppola, 21, is an attacking midfielder who can also play on the wing and sees his role as a creative playmaker. He racked up more than a century of appearances for the Rooks in a five-year stay, despite combining his playing time with studying for a career in medicine at Warwick University.

Boss Dominic Di Paola is also delighted to have secured the signatures of three players who have amassed more than 350 appearances between.

The evergreen pairing of Joe Shelley and Steve Metcalf have committed themselves to another campaign with the Hornets while striker Kieran Lavery is back at the club after spending the second part of last season on loan at Horley.