Head Coach Glenn Pennyfather has reaffirmed his intention to hit the ground running in the Blue Square Bet South next season and has repeated his excitement at the prospect of building on his existing squad in order to challenge for the title.

Glenn has so far secured prospects in goalscorer Sam Higgins and ex-Premier defender Sami El-Abd to date and he is confident that list will shortly grow, explaining: “I’d urge people not to panic that we don’t have many signatures on paper at the moment. There are a lot available and I’m sorting things out with a number of them. Some players have given me their word that they’d like to stay or join from outside and I can already say the nucleus of the squad is going to be very good and full of young, hungry players.”

“We want to get out of the blocks early and don’t want to spend twelve games pondering and trying to decide whether individuals are good enough like we did last season. I think the division will be tougher this year as you’ve got the new kids on the block from the divisions below and last year’s play-off teams who also have big budgets. It’s my aim to keep adding to our squad so we’re in the best possible position to compete.”

Glenn also confirmed that utility player Simon Glover has departed the Clarets and is believed to have signed for Maidstone United while goalkeeper Ashley Harrison has opted to retire. He had been a well-respected custodian who made his name in Canvey Island’s successful side when their rise began in the nineties. Ashley kept goal during various FA Cup upsets and a 2001 FA Trophy victory at Villa Park, staying loyal to the Gulls despite a short time with Dover Athletic in the middle of his time there.

He previously caught the eye in Basildon United’s strong youth team of the mid-nineties when appearing in their FA Youth Cup upset of Chelsea and he has also represented the British Universities side. Harrison includes Southend Manor and Great Wakering Rovers amongst his other former clubs before joining City in 2006 and playing his part in one of the club’s most successful eras, keeping a number of crucial clean sheets.

Glenn paid tribute by saying: “Ash has been fantastic for us for years and he’s a true professional. It’s obviously disappointing to lose his services but I can fully understand his reasons that he’d like to spend more time with his young family. We’ve had a long-standing relationship in the game through playing and coaching and some of his clean sheets last season were vital to get us in the play-offs. Although he’s retired we will obviously stay in touch and he’s always there in case of an emergency.”

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