Pictured are from L to R. Joe Gill with baby Lennie Gill, Aaron Barkham, Dave Parker, Luke Heffernan and Ray McLaughlin.
Brighouse Town manager Vill Powell has a mammoth squad rebuilding programme ahead of him following the departure of eight players and a loanee.
As revealed in last week’s edition striker Laurence Sorhaindo has left the club for NPL Premier Division club Guiseley for what is described as an undisclosed financial package. No doubt the transfer fee for the contracted player includes add-ons if Sorhaindo, who was 26 last Tuesday, moves on to another club and possible appearances for his new club.
Also joining him at Nethermoor is 25-year-old Aiden Lee Walker, the former Mansfield Town and FC Halifax Town Academy centre-back who only lives at Bailiff Bridge a mile from Town’s ground. Town have no fee from his move up a divisions as he was non-contracted.
Two of the biggest shocks leaving Town’s squad are experienced midfielder Corey Gregory,30, and long serving wing-back Mohammed Ibrahim,27, who are both off down the road to Ossett United. Along with a lengthy list of clubs Gregory has played with the old Ossett Town club before their merger with Ossett Albion to form the United club three seasons ago.
Fullback Sam Reed will sign for Sheffield Wednesday on July 1 and contracted goalkeeper Brett Souter left the club towards the end of the season for a dual-registration loan spell at Selby Town.
It is understood that loanee midfielder Sam Drake has left and that wing-back Callum Charlton will not be retained.
There could be another shock on the cards as club captain Tom Haigh is in talks with his manager about stepping down a level to concentrate on his hairdressing work. Powell is hoping he can fix up a dual registration deal for the 27-year-old who has made 249 first team appearances for the club since signing on as a junior. Its the long distance games, particularly at night, that are the problem for Holmfirth-based Haigh.
Director of football Charlie Tolley says his manager is working flat out to build up the squad again that will commence its pre-season fixtures on July 1 with a home game against National League North club Farsley Celtic (3.0).
Town have lost their July 22 home friendly with Stalybridge Celtic following a takeover of the Greater Manchester club and a new manager coming in. They have also been informed by FC Halifax Town and Mansfield Town in the past few days, despite notice to them before the end of the season, that they have full pre-season fixture lists and cannot fit the Step 4 club in.
Former Halifax-based Brighouse Town, Spennymoor, Scarborough Athletic, Yorkshire Amateur and Liversedge striker Nathan Cartman has signed for Step 5 club Knaresborough Town.
As from this week the Town stadium at Hove Edge will see a change of name, co-chairman James Howard is standing aside with his Yorkshire Payments Company and coming in in his place is Luke Heffernan with his company LJ Heffernan Utilities.
Town have signed experience centre midfielder Luke Dean following his release from Liversedge who he joined last season from Guiseley.
The 32-year-old, who commenced his career at Bradford City and had a short loan spell at FC Halifax Town, has been on Vill Powell’s radar for the past two seasons.
Before joining Bradford Park Avenue, where he made 79 appearances, Dean was with Harrogate Town where Powell was coach. He is the club’s second signing in just over a week, fullback Brandon Webster having joined previously from Ossett United.
In the first eleven days of July Town will play four home pre-season friendlies Farsley Celtic the first on July 1, then Eccleshill United on July 4, Emley on the 8th and Bradford City on the 11th.
Defender Sam Reed, who leaves Town at the end of the month for a professional contract with Sheffield Wednesday, has been selected by managers in the NPL
East division for the side of the year
He will collect his accolade at he annual dinner and presentation in Blackpool on Saturday evening
