A trio of Gulls

Canvey Island have announced a trio of new arrivals, Duane Ofori-Acheampong, Ben Steward and Luke O'Neill signing on as Gulls.

Duane, a forward, was with Dartford last season, playing seventeen times. Previously, his most recent spells with us were during the 22-23 campaign, where he spent some time on loan at Sittingbourne, and a spell at Hythe Town that season where he made nine appearances. During the 23-24 season, whilst at Torquay United, he also had a spell with Concord Rangers, playing six times and scoring once. 

Duane has played for a number of other clubs. The list includes Southend United, Grays Athletic, Braintree Town, Dover Athletic, Cray Wanderers, Torquay United, Woking, Wingate & Finchley, Harrow Borough and Whitehawk. He also had a loan spell at Sittingbourne whilst at Hungerford Town, playing eight times and scoring five goals and his 22-23 loan saw him play seven times and score twice. 

Ben comes in on loan from Billericay Town. The defender signed for the Blues in the summer of 2024, and made forty seven appearances last season, when his side won our Velocity Cup and of course missed out on the title by the narrowest of margins. He has played three times this season. 

He was previously with Concord Rangers, playing thirty three times during 23-24. He joined the Beachboys just before the transfer window slammed shut at the tail end of the previous National League South campaign, with the club in dire trouble at the wrong end of the table. 

Prior to his time on the Island of Canvey he was with East Thurrock United, where he made twenty three appearances and scored four goals, the first of those on loan from Aveley, who he joined in the summer of 2022 from Bowers and Pitsea. He had two spells with Bowers, with a spell at Basildon United in between. He made twenty seven appearances for Rob Small's men during the 21-22 season, including the end of their successful FA Cup run, but playing a full part in their run to the Final of the Essex County Cup and- of course- a successful Pitching In Isthmian Premier campaign. He started the 21-22 campaign at Basildon United, making seventeen appearances before his return to Bowers, added to the six he made before the 2020-21 campaign crashed to an early end.

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, when he signed for Welling United. He has made a dozen appearances for Welling.