New Trawlerboy nets two year deal

Striker Manny Osei signed a contract that will keep him at Ryman Premier Lowestoft Town until the end of next season on Friday.

Osei, pictured, arrived at Crown Meadow from the Met Police as the Trawlerboys waved goodbye to winger Lee Smith. The 25-year-old joined them in 2012 from Bury Town and asked to leave in order to find a club nearer to home for work and family reasons.

The Trawlerboys say both they and Smith are ‘saddened to part company’ but had no choice after all attempts to find a solution failed. Smith paid tribute to the club following the agreement to cancel his contract and let him find a new club nearer to his Cambridge base.

He said: "For different personal reasons and commitments I can't continue to play here and need to be more local. I've got nothing but positive words to say about all the players, not one of them is a bad egg and they're all top, top lads. The club and supporters are fantastic, it's a brilliant club and as I said to the Chairman, 'if it was closer to Cambridge then I'd be having my testimonial here in ten years’ time'."

Osei will add speed, guile and experience to an already strong Lowestoft squad. The former Brentwood Town, Harlow Town, Waltham Abbey and Leiston forward joined the Met Police in May 2013 and is in contention to make his debut in Saturday's home game against Cray Wanderers.

The 22-year-old is now hoping to win promotion with the Trawlerboys under joint managers Micky Chapman and Ady Gallagher.

He said: "I'm looking forward to the next two years at Lowestoft and I can't wait to get going. It's a massive club with excellent fans, exceptional facilities, quality players and a top management team. I hope my goals, pace and high work ethic will contribute to us playing Conference South football because it's where this club should be."