Where Will We End Up?

AFC start on another season, this time back in Bostik North after last season's journey around the Premier Division. That journey has given all at the club a real taste for football at a higher level and all associated with the club want to be back there. Will it happen at the end of the 2017/18, that is the question?

AFC Manager Jamie Godbold and his management team have had to rebuild the squad virtually from scratch. Remaining from last season is Captain Sam Clarke only four appearances away from the club's all time record appearance record, Jack Newman, Tevan Allen, Alfie Carroll and Tyler French as well as a couple of Academy players.

Recruited to the AFC squad are goalkeeper Paul Walker, from Haverhill Borough, defenders Joe Claridge from Maldon and Tiptree and Julian Smith from Northwood. In come midfielders Dave Cowley previously with club but last season at Thurrock, Jake Turner from Brightlingsea Regent and Adam Mills and Jeremiah Kamanzi from Maldon and Tiptree. Up front has come L'heureux Menga from Harrow Borough, Louis Blake from Croydon and Rhys Henry another ex- AFC man from Maldon and Tiptree.

The above will be supplemented by former AFC Academy players in forwards, Ollie Dunlop and Mekhi McKenzie, midfield men men Ollie Peters and Joe Wright and defender Sam Mills.

AFC start with a home game at The Wardale Williams Stadium against fellow relegatees, Canvey Island and hopefully Godbold after last nights training session will have a fully fit squad to select his team from.

Certainly from the pre-season games AFC supporters have seen enough promise to give them some cause for caution optimism in the coming months. Time will tell.