Hungerford Town boss Danny Robinson is starting to assemble a strong team for next season
Crusaders boss has begun preparations for the new campaign whenever it begins
HUNGERFORD Town manager Danny Robinson has continued to assemble a competitive squad for the 2020/21 National League South campaign.
The 34-year-old has acted fast in retaining some of last season’s playing squad, while adding to it with familiar players.
Curtis Angell, Callum Willmoth, Matt Partridge and Kyle Tooze have all made the short move to Bulpit Lane.
The players join the Crusaders from Robinson’s former club Thatcham Town and the manager is excited with their arrivals.
He said: “I think every manager in the world wants to go with players they know and I know exactly what I get from Callum, Toozey, Curtis, Babz [Jarra] and Matty Partridge.
“They are all very good players and I believe they can play at this standard so it was a no-brainer to try and entice them to play here.
“They all want to be here, which is refreshing, they want to play as high as they possibly can and they tick the right boxes.”
Robinson has a mixture of young and experienced players within the squad and he feels it’s important for the structure.
“I will rely heavily on Rus [James Rusby] because he has been at this level for a good few seasons, while Conor [Lynch] and Dan [Bailey] are brilliant.
“I have to have the best local players and that is why the likes of Partridge, Willmoth and Curtis are at the club.
“If you have players that are local to the club, and within the community, then I think it means that little bit more to people.
“Last season the club had a lot of loan players, so to have the best local players in the team is a route I want to go down.”
And Robinson has been happy with the attitude from his squad as he continues to build ahead of the campaign.
He said: “They know what they’re getting into with the travelling that’s involved, but that’s the reason you play the game because you want to come up against big sides.
“You want to play against big crowds, have the team bonding on the coaches and to me it’s why I wanted to give this challenge a go.”
A lot of work has already started at Bulpit Lane as the club prepares both on, and off, the pitch for whenever the new season begins.
The Crusaders have added members to their community structure to help push the club forward and Robinson has been a big supporter of this.
“I was mind-blown with the people helping at the club,” he said. “First and foremost, I have to get it right on the pitch.
“We’re slowly putting pieces together to complete a puzzle and the club are doing everything in the right way at the minute.”
The club have also signed attackers Ryan Beckinsale from Tiverton Town and winger Sol Wanjau Smith from Slimbridge, while goalkeeper Luke Cairney has joined from Poole Town and Oliver Artwell joins the club on a permanent deal after a successful loan spell from Forest Green Rovers.
Elsewhere, Hungerford Town Swifts have re-formed and will compete in the Hellenic League Division 2 in the 2020/21 season.
The Swifts have previously played in the North Berks League and were Division 2 champions during the 2016/17 campaign.
The club will be managed by former Kintbury Rangers boss Michael McNally, while Mark Stevens and Chris Collins also join the management team.
