With the news of a total of nine players so far (including the already announced Troy Bourne) that have been retained by the Dabbers for the 2023/24 season, we spoke to manager Paul Carden about those players and the squad as a whole.
Dan Cockerline
‘A massive signing for the club, with a good pre-season, and fingers crossed injury-free, he’s one that we’ve got high hopes for this season to be a focal point for the team and one who’s going to fire us goals to get us out of the division. He’s proven at this level and the level above and we just need him to be fit as we know his goalscoring consistency will be there.’
Sean Cooke
‘Another one who’s more than capable of playing in the league above so the fact that he’s wanted to commit, as we know how important he is with his goals and assists as well as his whole style of play, is vital’
Perry Bircumshaw
‘Perry was a nice surprise when I came in, I didn’t know much about him but he’s got an unbelievable determination and never-say-die attitude, he’s put in some great performances for us in my time at the club and I was delighted when he said he wanted to stay, that was an easy one for us.’
Jon Moran
‘I had a good conversation with Jon at the end of the season and I could see there was something in him that wanted to be part of us and get us back to where we want to be, so when he called me I wasn’t surprised but I was delighted. He’s doing all he can to be as fit and strong as he can be for pre-season to be a part of next season. Great lad, great in the dressing room but also immense on the pitch when I came in.’
Steven Hewitt
‘I thought we were going to lose Stevie, there were clubs in for him, but I heard from him that he was staying and obviously I’m delighted with that. He’s a good lad and a good player, a playmaker who scored some really crucial goals for us, and with the way we want to be playing next season he’s going to be a key component.’
Joel Connolly
‘Joel got better the more he got used to it. The last game of the season against Radcliffe was probably his best game, the second half he was outstanding against a lot of experienced midfielders. He told me he didn’t want to go anywhere, to stay and get promotion and be a part of it. When you’ve got someone who’s young and hungry with ability, it’s so refreshing and he’ll be a big player for us next season.’
Jack Sherratt
‘It was unfortunate that Jack suffered the injury at Gainsborough as he’d been putting in some really strong performances which we missed with his presence in midfield and hopefully he can avoid the injuries and be as fit as possible because I know how important he’ll be for us.’
Caspar Hughes
‘I’ve been a big admirer of Caspar over the years and I was really disappointed I didn’t get to see more of him on the pitch as manager. He knows what he’s got to do in pre-season, he knows he’s got to get fit, I think if he’s got the bit between his teeth he’ll be one of if not the best midfielder in the league.’
And asked for his overall thoughts on the squad at this stage, Paul said:
“The squad’s in a good place. Obviously we’re speaking to players and waiting for others to give us answers. It’s always hard this time of season as players are still off on holiday and want to hear what other clubs are interested, so you’ve got to be patient, there’s no point going with a scattergun approach and trying to sign anyone who’s got two legs, that’s not how I work, and we’ll wait until we get the right players even if that means waiting a little bit longer.”
Remember, you can invest in the future of Nantwich Town by participating in our Fundraising Proposal by either buying shares in the club or contributing to our JustGiving page. More information on the share scheme can be found HERE and our JustGiving page can be found HERE. All of this with the aim of getting both the main and Applewood pitches upgraded to new 3G surfaces. Thank you and Up the Dabbers!