BRAINTREE: Garvey snaps up two more to bolster squad

BRAINTREE Town have signed two more "young, ambitious and hungry-for-success" players and there's a strong likelihood of a further two more such captures before the new Blue Square South season kicks off next month.

Twenty year-old full-back Andrew Howell has joined from Ryman League Premier Division side Tooting & Mitcham, along with 23 year-old midfielder Jacob Mingle from Eastbourne Borough.

They are part of new manager Robbie Garvey's pledge to have a younger and more ambitious Iron squad and after these two latest signings, he admits he's still looking to add "possibly a couple more before the season officially starts".

"I'm pleased how things are going and the players already brought on board and I'm talking all the while to others but they have to be the right kind of players I think we need," he said. "Howell did really well at Tooting last season and will give me plenty of options down the left while Mingle is a player I have been keen to sign for most of the summer. He will certainly add quality to our midfield."

Garvey's younger revolution has already included the signings of 18 year-old Adam Bailey-Dennis from Colchester Utd and 21 year-old Ryan Peters from Margate.

But even though it's his first solo managerial role, Garvey knows only too well that at this level you also need experience, which is why he's also signed both 27 year-old defender Lynvall Duncan and forward Matt Game, 24, from Billericay Town.

The players, who all started back pre-season training on Tuesday, will find the new Cressing Road regime much harder than last season with improved individual fitness a key element.

And Garvey's no-nonsense approach and stricter discipline has been welcomed by club chairman Lee Harding who believes the new look squad will surprise a few rival sides this term.

"We've been impressed already with the way Robbie has set about the job, particularly bringing in young and more keener players and also bringing down the average age of the first team," said Harding. "We, as a board, made mistakes last season and now admit it in taking on really experienced players who were expensive but didn't give value for money.

"We had a very poor last season by our standards, finishing in 14th position, but I'm confident we are now back on track, going along the right lines and will surprise a few people," he claimed.

Harding believes the right mixture of ambitious youth and old, experienced players will provide the right platform for the club to again go forward.

"We have reduced the playing budget by around 15 per cent which is only prudent in the current climate," he said, "We are a club that's solvent, we made a £125,000 profit last season, all our bills are paid and we're not in debt and we shall continue in that vein because we are always looking to the long-term future of the club."