A Tilbury summer

We couldn’t write abut our new clubs prior to our AGM, so over the next couple of weeks we’re going to catch up on their signings and other news. We’re off to visit the Dockers!

Welcome back to Tilbury, making a welcome and immediate return to the Pitching In Isthmian North Division after only one season away. The Dockers have made a number of new signings over the summer, with a collection of recognisable names. 

Jamie Reynolds makes the move to Chadfields from Cheshunt. Jamie plays on the left of midfield, with the occasional appearance at left back, and he’s been with the Ambers for a number of years- joining during the unfinished 2019-20 season, playing an enormous part in their 21-22 promotion- with forty one appearances and four goals- making seventeen appearances in National League South, and finishing his Cheshunt spell with twenty nine appearances last season. A former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur youth player, he spent time with Billericay Town before becoming an Amber, and has also spent a brief period at FC Romania. 

Forward Alex Akrofi is perhaps best known for his success at Aveley, where he played one hundred and thirty four times, scoring seventy two goals and assisting forty three times. He was a big part of the Millers Pitching In Isthmian North title, and has also won promotion with Brentwood Town and Maidstone United. He played at a higher level, with Tonbridge Angels, made twenty six appearances for Carshalton Athletic during 22-23, and was back at Brentwood last season, where he played twenty two times. 

Lewis Manor will be best remembered for his time with Bowers and Pitsea. The forward managed twenty two goals for Bowers in the Premier Division during the 21-22 campaign, a record of a goal every two matches, and played his last match for Bowers against- fittingly- Lewes, delivering a scoring departure. He was a massive part of the North Division promotion side at the Len Salmon, scoring fifteen goals in thirty three games as Rob Small's sided won the title at a canter during 2018-19. He added thirteen more during their first top flight season, which covid brought to an early end, and remains the club's record goal scorer. Prior to his Bowers days he played for Rayleigh Town and Billericay Town. 

He left Bowers for Potters Bar Town in May 2022, and scored four goals in thirteen appearances before making the step up to Concord Rangers, then in National League South, where he scored six in eighteen, and last season remained at the tier above us, playing for Dartford, with four goals in seventeen, before a move to Champions Hornchurch, where he managed twelve appearances and scored two goals. 

Another player to move from Hornchurch is Jordan Clark. Comfortable in defence and midfield, Jordan played twenty times for the title winning Urchins last season, and has left the club with a promotion and an FA Trophy win at Wembley after joining up in the summer of 2018. He made one hundred and ninety nine appearances for the club. Prior to his time with the Urchins he played for Thurrock. 

Jordan will have a familiar face alongside him, as his brother Lewis Clark has also signed on. Lewis was the skipper at Redbridge last season, playing thirty five times, scoring eight goals, and lifting the Essex Senior Cup as the Motormen saw off Colchester United in the Final. Me moved to Redbridge from Grays Athletic.

 Centre back Lewis joined Athletic in September 2019, leaving Bowers and Pitsea, where he had made 117 appearances, 107 of which were starts, and scored 8 goals. He had been a big part of Bowers Pitching In Isthmian North title win, and had previously played for Thurrock. His time at Athletic saw him play twenty nine times before the 19-20 season slammed shut, six times before the following campaign- such as it was- went the same way, twenty nine times during 21-22 (with five goals) and another thirty eight times during 22-23 season, as they reached the Play Off Semi Finals.

Sam Bantick ended last season at Enfield, but he had something of a nomadic existence during the 23-24 campaign. He started it with the E's, playing four times with two goals, moved on to Grays Athletic (where he'd finished the 22-23 season and scored twenty two goals) and played seven games with three goals, and then moved to Heybridge Swifts, where he previously had several spells, and played fifteen times with four goals. He then played very briefly for Hulbridge Sports. 

Grays signed Sam in the summer of 22 from Hashtag United. He got ten goals for the Tags during the 22-23 campaign in two spells, and another ten in between those periods with United, when he spent a short time at Coggeshall Town. He has played for a fairly hefty number of Pitching In Isthmian clubs, including Brentwood Town, Canvey Island, Romford, Cambridge City, Enfield Town, Aveley and Tonbridge Angels. He has guaranteed goals for virtually all of them.