Search for
Search for
Search forWestley to cover all bases
Friday, October 03, 2008, 09:17
After all, Westley did mark his arrival with the biggest squad overall in the Blue Square Premier.
Fifteen new players arrived at Broadhall Way as Westley, back for a second spell in charge, tried to build a side capable of achieving the club's long-held ambition to reach the Football League.
Not many clubs can boast four goalkeepers at this level, but that's how many Westley has brought in.
Everybody thought that 35-year-old Ashley Bayes, a 500-game veteran for Torquay, Exeter, Orient and quite a few other clubs, would be first-choice.
But Westley also signed Chris Day, 33 (Spurs, Palace, Watford, Oldham) from Millwall, and he's now holding down the shirt, with more competition coming from ex-Swindon youngster Steve Smith and former Arsenal and Chesterfield prospect Michael Jordan.
There's no shortage of experience or size in central defence, where former Doncaster, Boston and Cambridge stopper Mark Albrighton arrived in the summer to join 6ft 6in tall Luke Oliver and club stalwart Ron Henry.
Another close-season recruit was the improving Michael Bostwick from Ebbsfleet — he can play at the back or in midfield.
At full-back is former Burton, Kidderminster and Colchester player Lawrie Wilson and 20-year-old Scott Laird, who is now making a real name for himself after failing to make it at Plymouth or with Torquay following a loan spell last season.
But if Borough do go up this season, it will be through their attacking exploits rather than the solidity of their defence.
There's goals in midfield, where the man to watch is Mitchell Cole.
Cole, 22, was with West Ham, Grays and Southend before joining Borough in January 2007.
He's primarily a left winger, but he can also play up front to good effect, and he's already scored four goals this season.
Peter Vincenti, another summer recruit from Millwall, second-season man John Martin, experienced Gary Mills, who joined from Kettering after service with Rushden and Crawley, ex-Plainmoor loanee Daryl McMahon (West Ham, Port Vale, Orient) and former Oxford winger Eddie Anaclet are all contenders in midfield.
Up front Westley will surely pick leading scorer Steve Morison (see Player To Watch).
But his partner could be Cole, ex-Peterborough, Brentford and Port Vale targetman Callum Willock, the lively Lee Boylan, now back at Borough after spells with Canvey Island, Grays and Cambridge United, or Anthony Thomas, a summer signing from Barnet.
Westley has been sure enough of his strength in attack that he's felt able to loan veteran striker Iyseden Christie, whom he also signed in the close-season, out to Kettering already.
Other men hoping to be in the squad include on-loan Ipswich midfielder Ed Upson, 18, Liam McDevitt and Andy Drury, one of several players who left Blue Square South champions Lewes at the end of last season.
Comment on this story