Harriman happy as star men stay with Diamonds and new players sign on
It has been a busy week for AFC Rushden & Diamonds boss Michael Harriman as he pieces together his squad ahead of the new Pitching-in Northern Premier League Midlands Division season.
Harriman has retained the services of a string of the key players that lifted Diamonds off the bottom of the table in the second half of last season, and ultimately ensured the club avoided relegation.
The Diamonds boss has also been busy with the recruitment of new players to improve his squad and team as the Hayden Road outfit aim to compete at the top end of the Midlands Division in 2023/24.
The new players that have been signed are full-back Charlie Green from Wellingborough Town, midfielder Aidan Webster from United Counties League Premier Division South side Bugbrooke, with defensive midfielder Calvin Green also joining from the Badgers.
The pair have followed new Diamonds assistant boss Dan Porter, who was number two at Bugbrooke last season.
Those players that will be returning to Diamonds for the new season all played a key role in the team's upturn in form under Harriman from the end of January onwards.
The players who have agreed to re-sign at Hayden Road are goalkeeper Ben Heath, defenders Tarik Dallas and Jarvis Wilson, midfielders Tejan Thomas, Fraser Corden and Joe O'Neill as well as strikers Luke Emery and Ethan Johnston.
On the new men arriving at the club, on Charlie Green Harriman said: "Charlie has been on our radar for a while. He's good on the ball, strong in the air and joins the club fresh from a very successful season last year.
"The club have fought off stiff competition from elsewhere to secure his signature."
On Calvin Green, Harriman said: "Calvin Green is an experienced, versatile player that can play across the defence and midfield.
"He’s a master of the dead ball, a weapon which I’m sure we’ll use to our advantage. Calvin adds not only experience but quality to the squad and I’m sure he’ll prove to be a strong addition to not just the team, but the group as a whole moving forward.”
On the signing of Webster, assistant boss Porter said: “Aidan is a top player who has been attracting a lot of interest. He’s a box-to-box midfielder who has impressed at Bugbrooke over the last few years.
"Having had a number of conversations with him over the summer, he feels the time is now right for not only a new challenge, but a step up."
Of all those who have decided to stay on, perhaps the most importants signing will be that of the man-mountain of a central defender that is Tarik Dallas, who was named man of the match in the NFA Hillier Senior Cup win over Kettering Town.
"I can't wait to get going again," said Dallas. "This is a massive club with great fans and I loved every minute last year.
"It'll be good to get a whole pre-season together with the lads and pick up from where we left off last season."
One of last season's star men who won't be returning is full-back Luis Pinto-Leite, who has left the club as he is emigrating to Denmark.