A South London Rams collective

We're catching up with signing news from the start of the campaign, and we've rather a lot of catching up to do with Croydon Athletic, who brought in Ronnie Vint, Greg Cundle, Jack Paxman, Luke O'Neill and Sam Blackman.

Ronnie Vint started his journey as a young player at Dartford, and was part of the side which reached the Third Round of the FA Youth Cup before being confronted by Chelsea, Tammy Abrahams, Reuben Loftus-Cheek, Dominic Solanke and all. He graduated to the Darts first team squad and soon became a mainstay of the side at National League and National League South level. In ten years at the club he made one hundred and ninety appearances- and it perhaps would have been more but for two loan spells at Dulwich Hamlet, who he joined permanently in January of 2022. He spent the second half of the 21-22 season and all of the the 22-23 campaign at Champion Hill. He then spent the 23-24 season at Lewes, making thirty four thirty four appearances, had a short spell at Margate, and then spent a little time at Ashford United. He played eleven times for Margate last season, too.

Greg Cundle, a forward, came through the youth ranks at Gillingham, but he has been our way a number of times before. One spell with East Grinstead Town brought an extremely impressive twenty one goals in twenty six matches, and he also spent loan time from the Gills at Tilbury, Billericay Town, Margate, Bishop's Stortford and Kingstonian. He also played briefly for Horsham, spent time at Concord Rangers when they were rather higher up the pyramid, but has spent most of this decade playing National League football for Ebbsfleet United.

He moved to Welling United in the summer of 2025, and made thirteen appearances scoring three goals before a move to Ramsgate, where he played twenty one times. 

Jack Paxman also moved to Welling in the summer of 2025, and took the captain’s armband. He made twenty two appearances, scoring once, before heading to Canvey Island, where he played twelve times more. 

Jack spent the 24-25 season with Billericay Town, playing thirty six times and coming within a hairs breadth of promotion from our Premier Division. He ended the 23-24 campaign at Ramsgate, making nine appearances and scoring two goals.

Jack moved to the the Rams from Eastbourne Borough. Prior to his time at Priory Lane he was at Ebbsfleet United, where he stayed for almost three years- although that spell included loans at Braintree Town, Dover Athletic and Worthing, and he also spent some time with Billericay- although that was rather fleeting. He joined Fleet from Worthing, but it was at Maidstone United that he became something of a legend, playing a big part in their promotions from our Premier Division and, the following season, from National League South to Premier.

 He spent five years with the Stones, although that did include a loan spell at East Thurrock United.

 Prior to his Maidstone days he spent time with Witham Town and Thurrock, and even earlier that that he was with Southend United. Whilst a Shrimper he spent loan time at Soham Town Rangers and Histon before making a first permanent senior move to Chelmsford City.

Full back Luke O’Neill started his career as a youth at Leicester City, and has a great deal of experience at a higher level. Whilst with the Foxes he had loan spells at Tranmere Rovers and Kettering Town, and after leaving Leicester he signed for Mansfield Town. He moved to Burnley, and whilst at Turf Moor had loan spells at York City, Scunthorpe United, Leyton Orient and Southend United, finally moving permanently to the Essex coast. He spent two successful years with Southend, two more with Gillingham, and another two with AFC Wimbledon before brief spells back in Kettering and in Stevenage. He moved to Ebbsfleet United in 2022, and was there until the summer of 2025, where, along with some of his new team mates, he signed for Welling United. He made a dozen appearances for Welling before also moving to Canvey, where he played fifteen times. 

Sam Blackman first came to our attention at Leatherhead during the 2017-18 season, and moved on to spend a first spell with Margate before heading to Concord Rangers. He moved on to Dartford, before loan spells at both Hythe Town and at former club Leatherhead, and then had another spell with the Beachboys- appearing at Wembley in the FA Trophy Final- before heading back to Margate in the summer of 2021. Three years saw him become a mainstay of the Hartsdown Park first eleven, with forty six appearances and six goals during 21-22, thirty five with five goals during 22-23, and another thirty one with three goals during 23-24. He departed for Invicta in the summer of 2024, and made eighteen appearances in stripes before a return to Margate. Last season saw him play twenty seven times and score six goals.