Mass exodus from Lillywhites

News Archive > Sport > Mass exodus from Lillywhites

Gareth Rowett17/06/2009

JUST over a month after the end of the season five of St Austell's Cornwall senior cup winning squad have decided to jump ship and join local rivals St Blazey.
Two weeks ago the Voice told how Lillywhites striker Daniel Nancarrow was set to become Glynn Hooper's first signing since his arrival as manager and now Nancarrow has been joined by Ben Douglas, Jay Isbell, Josh Higman and Ollie Brokenshire at Blaise Park.
Hooper hasn't stopped there though and has signed five further players to create a fiercely competitive squad ahead of the new season.

19-year-old goalkeeper Luke Payne has arrived for a second spell with the club from Wadebridge, with the unattached Jon Hoyles, formerly of Truro City, also signing on.
Hoyles had a short loan spell with the club when Trevor Mewton was in charge and they won the last South Western league.
Highly rated county youth defender Kieren Conibear-Trathen has also been signed from Sticker with Godolphin duo Aaron Dilley and Mark Kershaw also joining following the appointment of former Godolphin goalkeeper Chris May as St Blazey's new goalkeeping coach.

"It's fantastic, we have a really good bunch of local young players here that I am sure are going to excite people at St Blazey," Hooper exclusively told the Voice.
"They have proved themselves by winning things already and hopefully by coming to the club they are going to take that forward now and it is really exciting to get these players on board, who I really rate very highly.
"I have been really selective in the players that I wanted to sign and it has been a massive decision for them to make after they had a fantastic season last year in St Austell.
"We have spoke to and have now signed Mark Kershaw and Aaron Dilley from Godolphin and they come to the club really highly rated and there might well be more signings but at the moment the squad that we have put together I am really pleased with."

Hooper has also managed to retain close to the entirety of last season's squad despite strong offers coming in from across the county.
The only player from last season's squad who has decided to transfer away is winger Joe Carey who has joined Ivybridge, while defender Fergus Nevin is taking some time out of the game.
St Austell's physio Dani Leary also look set to join.