As promised, I’ll continue checking in throughout the summer to give you all an insight into where we’re at with everything on the football side at the club.
Firstly, Saturday’s game.
We came up against a very very strong Championship side, and I really appreciated the respect they showed us by fielding such a strong team. More importantly though, I have to praise our players for their application, attitude and effort. To come away with a respectable scoreline against a team several divisions above us—one I have no doubt will be challenging at the top end of the Championship this season—was really pleasing.
It’s still very early days, so we’re not getting carried away. There were plenty of positives, but we’re also fully aware there’s a lot of work still to do. The important thing is that we’re building from a foundation we’re happy with.
As things stand, we have 15 players signed, and I’m delighted with where we’re at. We’ve still got five weeks until the first game of the season, so there’s plenty of time to strengthen further.
One thing I wanted to be clear on this summer is our recruitment. I haven’t wanted to sign players simply to make the numbers up or be “good enough” for the squad. Every player we bring in should be capable of starting games and pushing for that shirt every single week. I want competition in every position and a squad where making substitutions doesn’t weaken us or change how we want to play.
That means we’ll naturally work with a slightly smaller squad than the one I inherited, but one packed with quality, hunger and competition. I’m confident we’ll continue to bring in players who improve what we already have.
I also want to thank every single supporter who has purchased a season ticket. The response has been fantastic, and it genuinely means a lot to everyone at the football club.
Your support is going to be vital this season. We want The Walks to be full of energy, positivity and belief. Together, we can create an atmosphere that gives us a real advantage and something the whole town can be proud of.
Many of you have asked about the players we’ve retained and the new faces we’ve brought in, so I thought I’d give you a little insight into some of those decisions.
Michael Clunan, Rhys Doherty, Ross Crane, Tom Dickens and Carlton Ubaezuonu were all consistent, reliable performers during my time at the club towards the end of last season. They earned the opportunity to continue with us.
Reece Hall-Johnson was someone I was genuinely disappointed not to work with last season through injury, so I’m really pleased I’ll now get that opportunity. His quality and experience speak for themselves.
Starting at the back, Ronnie Hollingshead is a goalkeeper who has spent the last year rubbing shoulders with one of the best goalkeepers in world football, Emi Martinez. Of course he’ll have learned a huge amount from that environment, but he’s also got the qualities we wanted in his own right. He’s calm in possession, brave, commands his area and makes big saves at big moments. We’ve already seen glimpses of that.
Aaron Jones was a no-brainer. Experience, knowledge and professionalism, but perhaps most importantly he’s got grit between his teeth. His standards are high every single day and that attitude spreads throughout the group.
Zak Mills brings presence, leadership, communication and a wealth of experience. Every dressing room needs players like Zak.
Then there’s Jahmari Lindsay. He’s young, athletic and full of potential. We have to be patient with him after a difficult spell with injuries, allowing him to build confidence in his body again, but he’s someone we’re all excited about.
In midfield we’ve brought in one familiar face and one I’m very familiar with.
Josh McCammon is one of those players whose work often goes unnoticed by people outside the game. He does the simple things exceptionally well, has brilliant energy, can play in several positions and is someone you can always rely on. More importantly, he showed a huge desire to come back to King’s Lynn and play for this football club.
Harley Hamilton is someone I’ve worked with before. Football is about relationships and understanding players. Harley is someone I trust completely because I know exactly what he can produce. Considering his size and stature, he moves around the pitch incredibly well and gives us something different in midfield.
In the attacking areas we’ve added Noah Rubio and Jesse Nwabueze.
Noah may be an unfamiliar name to many supporters, but not to me. He’s an exciting player who can produce those moments that get supporters off their seats. He’s fearless, unpredictable and absolutely desperate to succeed here.
Jesse arrives after scoring nine goals in a short spell at Aveley and brings exactly the work ethic, energy and willingness to run that I demand from my wide players.
That said, I’m not naive and I certainly don’t think our work is done. We are still looking to strengthen. When the right players become available and the deals are right for the football club, we’ll act.
I also want to say a huge thank you to my staff because they’ve been outstanding.
Pre-season is demanding for everyone, and Lewis, our sports scientist, has been exceptional. He continually pushes the players to improve while making sure they’re recovering properly and giving themselves the best chance to perform at their highest level.
Eva, our Head of Medical, has been nothing short of incredible. She’s often working from early morning until early evening, whether that’s rehabilitation, treatment, sports massage, strapping players up or simply making sure everyone is looked after. She’s a huge part of what we’re building.
Johnny, our kit manager, has been exactly what everyone who knows him would expect—full of energy, always smiling and making sure the lads have everything they need every single day.
These people often work behind the scenes without much recognition, but they’re absolutely invaluable to this football club.
Before I sign off, I’d just like to say this…
If you see us out and about over the coming weeks—whether we’re out running, grabbing a coffee or taking part in one of our team-building activities—please don’t hesitate to come over and say hello. We’ve got a really good group of players and staff who genuinely enjoy meeting supporters.
The hard work continues every day, both on and off the pitch. The players are being pushed to improve constantly because we’re determined to give you a team you can be proud of.
There will be ups and downs along the way—that’s football. But stick with us. Give us your backing, your patience and your belief. I can promise you we’ll give absolutely everything to get this football club moving in the right direction.
Thank you once again for your incredible support.
I’ll check back in over the next few weeks. Hopefully by then we’ll have welcomed a few more faces through the door, played a few more pre-season games and be another step closer to where we want to be.
Take care.
Paul Caddis