An Oysterboys summer

Whitstable Town boss Lee Martin, who took over earlier this summer, has been rather busy since his arrival. Here is a summary of his signings so far:

Derek Asamoah has very much become a legend in his own lifetime, with his career still going strong twenty six years after it began. 

His professional clubs include Northampton Town, Mansfield Town, Lincoln City, Shrewsbury Town and Carlisle United, and he also spent time in Bulgaria, South Korea and Scotland. His time with New Salamis was particularly prolific, and he became something of a club legend and their record goalscorer before moving on to play for Brightlingsea Regent during 23-24, playing thirteen times and scoring three goals. 

He was soon back at Coles Park with New Salamis, and then moved on to play for their landlords Haringey Borough, scoring twelve goals in forty nine appearances during the 24-25 season before joining Sittingbourne last season and scoring thirteen goals in his thirty six appearances. In early December the Brickies defeated Hassocks in a match where Derek scored- and so did his son, Zashaun.

Winger Kenny Aileru ended last season at Hashtag United, where he moved just before the end of the campaign from Cray Valley PM. He made twenty eight appearances for the Millers last season, scoring twice- and sixteen in the second half of the 24-25 season, also scoring twice. 

He joined Cray Valley from Aveley, then of course in National League South.

The midfielder was a big part of Aveley's two successive promotions after joining the club midway through the 21-22 season. He made twenty appearances and scored three goals as they clinched the Pitching In Isthmian North title, and then played another forty six times with thirteen goals during the 22-23 season, as his side picked up a Velocity Cup and Play Off double. He also had a very short loan spell at Concord Rangers during the 23-24 season, playing twice and scoring once. 

Kenny moved to Aveley from East Thurrock United. He joined the Rocks in the summer of 2020, and made sixteen appearances during the 21-22 season- with two goals- after playing nine times and scoring three goals during the almost non existent 20-21 campaign. 

He previously played for Phoenix Sports, where he came up through the reserve side to make himself a fixture in the first team. He made twenty four appearances during the 2019-20 season, scoring eight goals and being instrumental in quite a few more. A former Aldershot Town youth player, he also turned out for Clapton. 

Midfielder Charlie Thompson was with Barking in the Essex Senior League last season, playing forty five times and reaching the Play Off Final. The player, who was previously with the Under 18 side at the club, ended the campaign by winning Managers Player of the Season, Managers Young Player of the Season and Players Player of the Season awards.

Jerry (Jeremiah) Gyebi was with Potters Bar Town last season, playing seven times, before a move to Hungerford Town. 

Defender Jerry was with Dover Athletic during the 24-25 season, playing thirty one times as his side won promotion via our Play offs. He also spent time in our Premier Division during 23-24, playing for both Hastings United and Dulwich Hamlet in brief spells. 

He previously played youth football with Yeovil Town, and then did some globetrotting, playing in Slovenia for NK Ankaran, and in Sweden for IFK Mora, before a spell at Enfield Town which saw him play six times during the rather short 20-21 campaign and thirty nine times during 21-22. He then spent time with Hungerford Town in National League South before his move to Champion Hill.

Alex Wall, a forward, was at St Albans City last season, playing thirty times and scoring three goals. He has had a long and varied career, playing professionally for Luton Town and Bristol Rovers as well as spending time with Maidenhead United, Dartford, Bromley, Hungerford Town, Concord Rangers, Hemel Hempstead Town, Woking, Havant and Waterlooville and Hampton and Richmond Borough. 

Kweku Lucan started last season with title-chasing Folkestone Invicta, playing five times and scoring twice. he then moved on to Maidstone United, where he made ten appearances. A spell with Ramsgate came next, which brought sixteen appearances and three goals. 

He spent the 24-25 season at Dover Athletic, moving to Dover from National League South side Slough Town. He made a dozen appearances, the last of them in the Premier Promotion Final as Athletic defeated Dartford. 

You might also remember the winger from his Premier Division spells with Carshalton Athletic and Leatherhead. He joined the Tanners in November 2020 from Biggleswade Town, and managed only one appearance before that season ended prematurely, but played another eight times in the early stages of 21-22. During the 23-24 season he spent some time with the Robins, making fourteen appearances. 

He came through the youth ranks at Peterborough United, and has had a number of spells in Biggleswade. He has also played for Grays Athletic- three appearances- and Billericay Town, when they were in National League South. St Albans City, Egham Town, Wingate and Finchley and Fleet Town are amongst his other clubs. 

Additionally, he previously played Isthmian League football for Northwood, for whom he made thirty eight appearances over 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Tom Hanfrey played thirty one times for Sevenoaks Town last season, scoring three goals, after finishing the previous season at Erith Town. 

Defender Tom made the move to Erith from Herne Bay, for whom he played eleven times during the 24-25 season. He made twenty four appearances and scored two goals for Bay during 23-24, after joining them following a very short spell at Carshalton Athletic.

He spent some of the 22-23 season at Sittingbourne in Pitching In Isthmian South East, joining the Brickies in January 2023 after a spell at Sheppey United, and previously played for FC Romania. Tom was at Cray Wanderers during the 21-22 campaign, signing in September 2021 and going on to make twenty eight appearances for the Pitching In Isthmian Premier side. 

He is primarily a left back- although versatile- who came through the Academy, Under 18's and Under 21's at Bournemouth before signing on for Concord Rangers and then Tonbridge Angels in National League South. He made his Angels debut during the 20-21 campaign but played very few matches before the pandemic kicked in.

Tom Beere has most recently been with Cray Valley PM. He made twenty nine appearances last season, scoring seven goals, following thirty four with fourteen during 24-25 as the Millers reached the Play offs. 

He joined Cray Valley from Horsham, where he played six times during 24-25. He spent time at Cray Wanderers in the second half of the 23-24 season, where he made twenty two appearances and scored once- in the last one, a six-two victory over Dulwich Hamlet. 

Tom was a Millwall youth but made his name at AFC Wimbledon, and as well as playing in the Dons first team had loan spells at Bishop's Stortford, Hampton & Richmond Borough- and rather peculiarly, Gateshead- before leaving the Dons and signing for the Beavers. He spent time with Leatherhead, Greenwich Borough and Kingstonian before moving on to sign for Tonbridge Angels- and indeed was part of the Angels side which won promotion at the end of 2018-19. He moved to become a Robin- alongside former Angels and then Cray Valley boss Steve McKimm- scoring twelve goals in his thirty eight appearances during the 22-23 season. 

Matty Holness came through the Dover Athletic Academy and made his first team debut at the end the 23-24 season. He had a loan spell at Erith and Belvedere during 23-24, that particular loan spell bringing fourteen appearances and two goals, and had a loan spell at Deal Town during 24-25, playing six times and scoring once. He spent time at Herne Bay on loan last season, playing nineteen times.

Liam Boxall, a defender, played briefly for Welling United last season, and has previously played for East Thurrock United. He has also previously turned out for Romford, Grays Athletic, Basildon United- four times in 24-25, and twelve times last season; Haringey Borough- four times during 24-25, and Heybridge Swifts- eight times during 24-25. 

Tom Derry played seventeen times for Margate last season, and twice for Cray Wanderers.

Forward Tom also played fifteen times for Gate during the 24-25 season, scoring twice. 

He moved to Hartsdown Park from Folkestone Invicta, where he spent just over a year. He made twenty five appearances with eight goals during the 23-24 season, and another twenty four with five goals during 24-25 before moving along the coast. 

Tom headed to the Stripes after departing then-National League North side Bishop's Stortford. 

He came through the ranks at Gillingham, and afterwards played with Eastbourne Borough, Aldershot Town and Hayes & Yeading United. He turned out for Kingstonian and Leatherhead during 2017-18, and after a period at East Thurrock United was a crucial component of the Tonbridge Angels side that had to win two Play Off Finals to get promoted; indeed he scored Angels winning goal at Metropolitan Police in the second of those, the Super Play Off Final, forcing the ball home in extra time to seal a three-two victory at the end of the 2018-19 campaign. He left Angels in the autumn of 2020 to play for Hayes & Yeading United, and afterwards turned out for Slough Town, Braintree Town and Welling United before moving to Cray Wanderers in the summer of 2022. He managed twelve goals in his forty four appearances for Wands during the 22-23 season.

Perri Iandolo started last season with Lewes, playing ten times. 

Midfielder Perri spent some of the 24-25 season with Phoenix Sports, making sixteen appearances and scoring twice. He also played for Hayes and Yeading United,  making seven appearances. 

He was previously part of the Maidstone United Academy, progressing through the Under 23 side to play for the first team. He moved on to play for Hemel Hempstead Town, and then spent time with AFC Totton before his move to Hayes.

He has also been our way twice previously, spending loan time at Faversham Town and, during 21-22, with Sutton Common Rovers, where he made twenty five appearances and scored three goals. 

Henry Young skippered the Dover Athletic Academy side to 22/23 League title and the Kent Schools Academy’s Cup, and then made his way into the first team squad, playing thirty times during the 23-24 season. The 24-25 season saw him play eleven times, and he also had a loan spell at Hythe Town, where he made sixteen appearances.

He moved to Margate last season, and made thirty seven appearances, scoring twice. 

Harrison Pont, a defender, spent last season with Faversham Town, playing thirty eight times and scoring six goals. That followed twenty nine appearances as he helped Dover Athletic to promotion during 24-25. 

He spent the 23-24 season with Herne Bay, where he made forty appearances and scored five goals. He ended the 22-23 season as part of Phoenix Sports successful bid to return to our ranks, and was previously with Sittingbourne, where he made thirty four appearances- the last of those in goal, replacing the injured Harley Earle and saving a penalty as the Brickies defeated Faversham Town- from Adebayo Akinfenwa, no less! Prior to his time as a Brickie he played for Margate, Canterbury City, Hollands & Blair and was a graduate of the Dover Academy as well as playing youth football for Gillingham.

Ian Gayle makes a move from Ramsgate, where he played twenty eight times last season. He started the campaign at Lewes,  and the defender made eleven Rooks appearances, scoring twice.

Ian made thirty seven appearances for Folkestone Invicta during the 24-25 season, scoring five goals, which followed twenty nine appearances and two goals during 22-23. He moved to the Kent coast for the start of the 22-23 campaign, playing forty seven times and scoring seven goals. 

He finished the 21-22 season at Cray Valley PM, making half a dozen appearances, but prior to that played for a number of our clubs, including Grays Athletic, Kingstonian, Bishop's Stortford and Whitehawk- although some of these were at a higher level when he was wearing their shirt. 

He came through the youth ranks at Dagenham & Redbridge, and has also played further up the pyramid for Welling United, Braintree Town, St Albans City, Eastbourne Borough and Woking.