A Sports summer

Eastbourne Borough, under boss Steve King (yes, that Steve King, formerly of Whitehawk and Lewes amongst others), have had a rather busy summer and augmented their squad with a collection of quality signings.

Darren McQueen is a player who has been our way before, albeit many years ago- the forward, who spent time with Tottenham Hotspur and Ipswich Town, once played for Maldon and Tiptree, thirty nine times with eighteen goals during 2015-16. He moved on and up, Ebbsfleet United his next port of call, and was then with Sutton United, Dartford and Dagenham & Redbridge.

He spent time with Dulwich Hamlet when they were a National League South side, and more recently has been helping Hornchurch to success, playing ninety six times and scoring twenty five goals.

Keeper Lewis Carey is someone you'll know well, indeed you last saw him when he was taking our title with Horsham at the end of the 24-25 campaign. He won our Golden Gloves Award in February and April 2025, and played fifty five times- including in the FA Cup First Round. That followed fifty seven appearances during 23-24- and another trip to the FA Cup First Round, as we suspect everyone will remember that trip to Barnsley. 

Lewis made forty nine appearances for Lewes during the 22-23 season, following forty five during the previous campaign. The keeper rejoined the Rooks in 2021 after previously spending the 2018-19 campaign keeping goal at the Dripping Pan, when he picked up their Player of the Year award. In between his two spells in East Sussex he spent two seasons at Cray Wanderers, playing fourteen times in the very short 20-21 campaign, as Wanderers reached the final qualifying round of the FA Cup and the second qualifying round of the FA Trophy, and forty times the previous season, which saw them in second place when the pandemic hit. 

Prior to his first spell with the Rooks, he turned out at Hayes Lane for Wands landlords Bromley, and he also played for Tonbridge Angels, Thamesmead Town and Eastbourne Borough. He started his career as a youth player with Bristol City. 

Matthew Hayden, a full back, arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion. He has been a Seagull since he was twelve years old, played for the Under 18 and Under 21 sides, and last season spent loan time at both Havant and Waterlooville and Dagenham and Redbridge.

Owen Bellamy played twenty seven times for Witham Town last season, the midfielder scoring four goals after joining the club from Romford, where he scored twice in seven matches. The 24-25 season saw him play eighteen times for Hullbridge Sports, scoring seven goals, and he was also with Concord Rangers, playing twenty four times. That followed eight appearances in our top flight at the end of the 23-24 campaign.

Max Sheaf, a midfielder, makes a move from Hednesford Town. He started his career with Hill City, and after loan spells with Clentenham Town and Torquay United moved on to Gloucester City. He spent time with Redditch United, moved north of the border with Ross County, and then crossed Hadrians Wall to sign for Gateshead before that move to Hednesford. 

Josh Rees comes in from Hornchurch, after playing a big part in the Urchins elevation to the top flight of Non League. He was only at Bridge Avenue for one season, but what a season it was.

Midfielder Josh came through the ranks at Arsenal and also played for Nottingham Forest before making his mark at Chelmsford City. He moved on to Bromley, and then moved upwards to Gillingham before a return to Hayes Lane. He became an important player for Aldershot Town, Boreham Wood and Dagenham & Redbridge before becoming an Urchin at the start of last season.

Tyano Wilson makes a rather easier move, as he steps up from neighbours Eastbourne United. The winger was a revelation at the Oval, and has already played more than fifty times for the first team there despite being only eighteen. If the FA website is correct he scored fifteen goals in forty two appearances last season, and assisted eight more, helping United to sixth place- they missed out on the Play Offs by three points.

We don't really need to introduce Liam Nash to you, do we? But we will!

Liam ended last season with Aveley, the forward's twelve appearances bringing five goals. He spent the previous few weeks at Ramsgate, on loan from Billericay Town, and played five times. He joined the Blues in the summer, of 2025 and made twenty three appearances, scoring four goals. 

He has spent much of his career terrorising Isthmian defences, but prior to his return to us had most recently been in National League South with Worthing, joining the Mackerel Men in February 2025 from Hornchurch. He'd spent the previous four years with the Urchins, as you will recall, scoring ninety goals and winning the FA Trophy as well as our Premier Division title.

Prior to his time with Hornchurch he played for a number of clubs, spending time in Gibraltar and also turning out for the likes of Hemel Hempstead Town, Dartford, and Gillingham, for whom he signed after a prolific season with Maldon and Tiptree. He also spent a little time with Billericay back in the 2014-15 season. 

Elliott Johnson, a full back, ends this list. Elliott moves south from Pitching In Northern Premier club Hednesford Town, but is better known from his long spell at Barnet- where he played in League Two and won the National League title and indeed made more than two hundred appearances- and from his time with Dagenham & Redbridge.

You can read much more about all of these signing at the Borough website, here.