Basford Busy Off Season

There’s been a busy off-season thus far at Greenwich Avenue, manager Steve Kitterick putting his stamp on the side that will take its place in the Northern Premier League Premier Division next season.

A number of new signings, the club having struck whilst the iron was hot at the end of last season, and seven, pre-season friendlies, will aim to set the Ambers up nicely for the new campaign.

Having been laterally moved from the Southern League, the signings started as the season ended, Kitterick making the loan move of now 29-year-old attacking midfielder, Jonathan Wafula, a permanent one.

Kenyan-born Wafula had initially joined the Ambers back in March, but picked up an injury, a broken finger, following a promising home debut against Redditch United, in the 1-0 win over Rushall Olympic which confirmed the clubs’ Step Three status.

Wafula’s career began in the Football League, with League Two side, Chesterfield, in 2012, making his league debut in the 3-0 home win over Northampton Town, in mid-January, before dropping into non-league and playing for the like of Boston United, Guiseley, and briefly, and Matlock Town, prior to joining Grantham in 2021.

Another midfielder, Jack Thomas, formerly of Mansfield Town and Bradford City professional, has joined from Ilkeston Town, as does ex-Notts County centre-half, the 6ft 5, 24-year-old, Peter Dearle, who has experience of playing college sports, stateside, in Carolina, he joins from Alfreton Town.

An ex-Sheffield United, and another, former Chesterfield player, Brodiee Litchfield and Charlie Wakefield respectively, continued the strengthening in attacking quarters, and then there’s international star, Zayn Hakeem.

Having had experience with both Forest, and the Stags, Hakeem, an international player with Antigua & Bermuda who was called up for the CONCAF Gold Cup qualifiers, and registered 19 goals and 10 assists last season, arrived from Shepshed Dynamo.

Hakeem made his international debut, for Antigua & Bermuda, in the recent qualifiers defeat against Guadeloupe, in Florida, the new Basford striker putting in a full, ninety minute shift – you can watch his first, full interview here

More recently, the Ambers have also added that of Jersey-born midfielder, Toby Ritzema, also from Shepshed, whom the Ambers play in pre-season; Leojo Davidson, a 19-year-old ex-Manchester City Academy striker; and former Matlock Town midfielder, 22-year-old, Ethan Cartwright, a player known by the Ambers’ boss from their time together at both Belper Town, and Guiseley.

Although the Ambers have seen a number of players departing the club, including the early, off-season loss of winger Kevin Da Silva Bastos, who joined Derbyshire outfit, Belper Town, for an undisclosed fee.

A number of players though have also been retained, including Academy prospects Tyler Dacres and Harvey Ridgley, the pair being offered first team contracts at Greenwich Avenue, alongside other, committed players, in forward Anthony Dwyer, captain Matt Thornhill, defender Dominic Roma, shot-stopper Kieran Preston, Ben Starkie (first, current Basford international, representing Tanzania in the AFCON qualifiers), Josh Barnes (played 51 times last season), centre-half Lewis Carr, Rev James, and Courey Grantham – other announcements possible in due course.

Pre-season friendlies for the Ambers are as follows – Carlton Town (H, Sat, 8 July), Hucknall Town (A, Thurs, 13 July), Shepshed Dynamo (A, Sat, 15 July), Barnsley U23s (H, Weds, 19 July), Frickley Athletic (A, Sat, 22 July), North Ferriby (H, Sat, 29 July), Pontefract Collieries (A, Sat, 5 August)

Keep up-to-date with all the goings on at Greenwich Avenue via the Ambers socials on Facebook, Twitter and via their website here.