Shoulders aiming high with Southwick

Shoulders made the move from Wickers’ Southern Combination League Division 1 rivals Mile Oak to take up the vacant managerial position at Old Barn Way earlier this summer.

Southwick are on the back of a testing season after finishing bottom last term but the club were handed a relegation reprieve and will remain in SCFL Division 1 for the 2018/19 campaign.

There’s a different feel around the place at Wickers now with Shoulders bringing a number of new additions in over the summer.

Former Mile Oak quintet Andrew McDowell, Enzo Benn, Joseph Benn, Liam Austin-Slade and Jamie McKenzie have all followed Shoulders to Southwick.

Tom Shelley, Harry Furnell, Harry Heath and Liam Reyland are also new names to have joined Wickers in the close season and Shoulders is setting his sights on promotion.

He said: “Not many players have stayed from last season. We’ve had to start all over again but that’s fine.

“It’s been a good summer, stressful at times as I’m sure it is for most managers, but it’s all coming together now which is really good.

“I’m really pleased with the people that have signed and the squad is looking really good for the season ahead.

“My aim is always promotion and I know it’s going be a hard league this year. But still I have the team to be right up there.”

First team regulars from last season George Watts and Jacob Cook have remained at the club, while Shoulders has re-signed a few youngsters from the previous regime.

Wickers kick off the new season at Selsey on Saturday before hosting fellow SCFL Division 1 side outfit St Francis Rangers in the Peter Bentley Cup the following week. Littlehampton Town, relegated from SCFL Premier Division last season, are then the first visitors to Old Barn Way to cap a tricky start for Southwick. Shoulders said: “We’ve been handed a hard start but hopefully we’ll get off to a flying start and kick on from there.”

Southwick are searching for a coach/assistant manager to work alongside Shoulders for the upcoming 2018/19 SCFL Division 1 season.

Anyone interested should direct message the club on Twitter (@SFC_TheWickers).

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