With the dawn of the new year, we can provide an update for our supporters, surrounding our squad.
Firstly, as announced, Louis Dunne has linked up with Mark Molesley’s Hayes & Yeading United, on a months loan deal. Dunne suffered a long term injury in December 2022, away to St Albans. He has been on a long rehabilitation scheme, seeing him feature in the Essex Senior League for Coggeshall. A nice sight came on December 29th as, away to Saffron Walden, Dunne made his first appearance back in Claret. Hear Robbie Simpson’s thought on the loan deal, in an article here.
As well as that, there have been other deals in the loan market. Josh Oluwayemi and Liam Vincent have both returned to Portsmouth, following injuries while on loan.
Robbie said “Obviously Josh (Oluwayemi) is still recovering from his freak, thumb injury and his loan has finished. A big thanks to him for all of his efforts for us, and we wish him well with that.
Liam (Vincent) is obviously the most unfortunate sort of loan going really, with getting injured in his first game. I think he is still not fully back fit, but we wish him well with his recovery.
Unfortunately, neither will be with us going forward.”
Josh Oluwayemi featured 24 times for the club, impressing on multiple occasions between the sticks. Liam, as mentioned, sadly played just 67 minutes with the club.
Leaving the club on a permanent basis is both Anisius Lewis and Eze Ebouzeme. Anisius has been at the club for a few years, having come through the academy. His time in the first team has been limited but he has featured out on loan on numerous occasions. Eze joined from Billericay in the summer, making 15 appearances for the club.
Robbie gave his thoughts: “Anisius (Lewis) has had injury troubles for a while and mentally I think that he needs to step away from football. We have had a good couple of conversations with him and he just needs to focus on himself and not necessarily the demands of football and making it as a footballer. He just needs to spend some time, getting fit first and foremost, but then mentally getting in the right place to have another go at football. It is not the end for him, that is for sure and we wish him well and will always be in contact. He will always be welcome back here, whenever he wants to. However, he has moved on.
And then Eze has moved on as well. Obviously, he has been out of the team for a little while and, with Louis coming back as well as lots of midfielders, he is going to move on. Again, he is one that can definitely come again. He showed in the first 6 or 7 games in the season how good he can be, and that he is comfortable at this level. However, with where we are at, at the minute, I think we both realised and mutually realised that it was best for him to move on.”
We wish the 4 players departing us the best of luck for the future and hope to see Louis back amongst the squad soon!
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