Kirkwood and Levett leave YM

23 July 2007

HORSHAM YMCA have lost two key players in the build up to the new season. Following Dean Ruddy's departure at the end of last term, last year's top scorer Scott Kirkwood has opted for a move to Ryman Premier Division new boys Hastings United, while left back Nick Levett has followed Tommy Sampson to Redhill to join his revolution at the County League Division 1 side. Former assiatant boss Sampson left YM earlier in the summer for the vacant manag­er's job at Redhill, and given his extensive contacts and financial backing he could receive there, they are tipped to do well this season. All this has left boss John Suter with a big hole to fill. "Scott has gone upwards and I have no complants about that," he remarked. "He could have got more money going to Redhill. He has gone for the standard of football and I find that com­mendable. "There are some pretty good offers on the table." Suter could yet find his replacements from the 40 plus players who have so far turned up for pre-season training. He said: "I'm just having a look at players at the moment, we have had good turnouts to training sessions. We had 40 last Thursday. I want to have a look at everyone and not to have any pre-conceived ideas about what they can or cannot do or whether they are good enough. "So far from pre-season training they have all been players who are at least capa­ble of playing in the reserves." YM kicked off their pro­gramme of pre-season friend-lies with a 1-1 draw at Kent League side Sevenoaks with the impressive Matt Russell scoring. They followed this up by coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Selsey on Wednesday with Steve Davies and Matt Duffield on target in an improved performance. New faces in the YM line up on Saturday included East Preston goalkeeper Tom Rand, Louis Fretas on the right of midfield, Michael Death, who was at Three Bridges last year, Aqib Salim and Kevin Joyce. Suter added: "Matt [Russell] played well, he was the pick of our side in fact. It was a side that had not played together before and we had a few new faces. "I said to them that it was the 21st of July, it's very diffi­cult to to play football when you have fabruicated a side like that. It lacks fluency, but it's good to get some football into people and good to get started."