Boss Harriman happy as Diamonds prepare for pre-season opener at Hitchin
AFC Rushden & Diamonds’ preparations for the new season are underway after the players returned to pre-season training earlier this week.
And they are straight into action as they play their opening warm-up match this Saturday.
Diamonds manager Michael Harriman said: “I couldn’t wait to get started on Tuesday, and I’m now definitely looking forward to our first pre-season game at Hitchin on Saturday.”
Having earned a reprieve from relegation from the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division, Harriman has been busy in the close season trying to keep the majority of last season’s squad together.
Goalkeeper Ben Heath, central defenders Jarvis Wilson and Tarik Dallas, midfielders Tejan Thomas, Fraser Corden and Joe O’Neill plus strikers Ethan Johnstone, Luke Emery and Cairo Taylor have all agreed to sign new deals and stay at Hayden Road.
Three new players have joined having played in the United Counties League Premier Division South at Step 5 last season.
New assistant manager Dan Porter has used his Bugbrooke influence to persuade midfielders Calvin Green and Aidan Webster to sign up, while defender Charlie Green joins from Wellingborough Town. Porter was a player assistant-boss with Bugbrooke last season.
Harriman is also confident that he can persuade Northampton Town to let him have one of their youngsters on loan, having enjoyed success on that front last season.
One piece of heartening news is that central defender Ryan Hughes, a former Cobblers defender, is set to return to action at Hayden Road after spending all of last season recovering from a badly broken leg.
Harriman said: “Ryan is keen to play for us again and we will be talking with our physio about a phased return for him.
“Having played no football for 12 months it’s going to be at least a couple of months into the season before Ryan might be ready for first team football. But I know what Ryan can do having played alongside him.
“Let’s also not forget that Ryan was responsible for persuading me to join Rushden in the first place.”
Harriman is still looking to improve his squad further and will look at several trialists while playing two different teams during the match at Hitchin this weekend.
“Over the next couple of weeks, we need to get some minutes into the boys and look at some potential new faces,” he said.