Poppies 2006-07 squad announced

The Poppies squad for the coming 2006-07 season was announced today and the confirmation of several names that had been put forward as possible new signings was arguably the biggest talking point.

Darren Caskey was confirmed as well as Luke Graham, Craig Westcarr and Andre Boucaud as the new signings joining Morell Maison's retained list at Rockingham Road.

There are still several places left open with one big question mark hanging over the future of striker Darren Lynch as Maison named his squad this morning:

Mark Osborn
Nick Bussey
Nathan Koo-Boothe
Luke Graham
Craig McIlwain
Mark Burrows
Liam Nicel
Parys Okai
Moses Olaleye
Stephan Morley
Brett Solkhon
Andy Hall
Darren Caskey
Andre Boucaud
Rene Howe
Craig Westcarr
Neil Midgley
Patrick Peter

... are all confirmed with apparently 'one from' the following list ..

James Gould, Darren Lynch, Junior McDougald, Serge Makofo, Chris Difante, David Theobald

in addition there could be up to two more signings or possibly loan players brought in to boost the squad for their assault on the Conference North title.

The following players were released by the club:

Wayne Duik, Ollie Burgess, Ryan-Zico Black, Anthony Elding, Jamie Paterson, Michael McKenzie.

Midfielder Darren Caskey was born in Basildon and started his career with Spurs, before moving to Watford, Reading Utd, Notts County, Bristol City, Peterborough Utd and a season in the USA with Virginia Beach Mariners before his January move to Rushden & Diamonds.

Born in Enfield with Trinidad & Tobago nationality, midfielder Andre Boucaud was a trainee at Reading before finally moving to Peterborough Utd after an extended loan spell and spent a recent loan spell at Aldershot Town.

Forward Craig Westcarr started as a Youth player at his home city club Nottingham Forest before joining Lincoln and Milton Keynes on loan periods. Last season Westcarr was at Cambridge Utd.

Luke Graham returns to Rockingham Road (where he had a brief loan spell in early 2005) from Forest Green Rovers. The young defender started his career at Northampton Town.

Poppies remain in Conference North for 2006-07 season

Kettering Town will remain in the Conference North for the 2006-07 season after the FA ratified the divisions with the teams listed as follows:

Alfreton Town
Barrow
Blyth Spartans
Droylsden
Farsley Celtic
Gainsborough Trinity
Harrogate Town
Hinckley Utd
Hucknall Town
Hyde Utd
Kettering Town
Lancaster City
Leigh RMI
Moor Green
Nuneaton Borough
Redditch Utd
Scarborough
Stalybridge Celtic
Vauxhall Motors
Worcester City
Workington
Worksop Town

Should Altrincham lose their appeal against their 18pt deduction then they will replace Scarborough who will be re-instated to the Conference National.

Ticket prices for 2006-07 season

The following are the ticket prices announced by the club for the 2006-07 season:

Adult:
Mainstand £12 Terrace £10

U16's:
Mainstand £5 Terrace £4

Concessions:
Mainstand £10.50 Terrace £8

Season Tickets

Adult:
Mainstand £220 Terrace £178

Concessions:
Mianstand £168 Terrace £126

Concessions include students with a current and valid Student Card.

Applications are now being taken for Season tickets. Prices and details for juniors will be published in the near future as the Club are looking at the possibility of re-introducing the Junior Reds.

Poppies sign young striker and defender

Poppies boss Morell Maison announced the signing of 19 year-old striker Rene Howe from Bedford Town and defender Mark Burrows from neighbours Corby Town.

Howe progressed as a Youth at the Eyrie and scored 25 goals this season including the winner in the play-off semi-final and a goal in the 3-2 play-off final that won Bedford promotion to the Conference South.

"It is a major coup for us to get him. He is tall, powerful and can use both feet. He scored a lot of goals to help Bedford to promotion and I have no doubt he can do the same for Kettering in Nationwide North next season. I am equally delighted to have signed Mark. He was a key part of Corby's success. He is strong and uncompromising and that is just what we are looking for."

Elding and Biley depart Poppies

Striker Anthony Elding and assistant manager Alan Biley are the first of what will no doubt be a string of departures announced at Rockingham Road over the coming months leading up to the start of next season.

Anthony Elding's contract was terminiated a week early "by mutual consent" and Alan Biley was released with Morell Maison stating he has no plans to appoint a successor.

Update:

Former Poppies striker Anthony Elding who was released by mutal consent from Rockingham Road a week prior to the end of the season has signed a two-year deal with Football League Division Two outfit Boston Utd.

At age 24, Elding returns to the club where he started his career, with York Street manager Steve Evans stating, "He is a young man who I believe is now ready for the challenge of the Football League. Anthony knows the demands I will place on him and I will expect big things from him."

Poppies round off season with home victory

Kettering Town 2
Peter 8
Okai 31

Workington 1
Birks 85

Kettering Town finished off their fairly often quoted 'rollercoaster of a season' with a fairly comfortable 2-1 victory over Workington at Rockingham Road and moved back up to 6th spot in the final Conference North table.

Patrick Peter made a rare start for the Poppies and the move paid immediate dividends when Peter found the net to score his first goal for the club after 8 minutes gone.

Kettering increased their lead to 2-0 when Parys Okai scored only his second goal for the Poppies just after the half-hour mark to send them into the break comfortably in the driving seat.

The second-half looked all-but over before the visitors pulled a goal back on 85 minutes when Steve Birks found a way past Mark Osborn to reduce the deficit and the match ended 2-1 to Kettering.

Att: 974

Kettering: Osborn, Morley, Peter, Theobald, McIlwain, Solkhon, Koo-Boothe, Burgess, Hall, McDougald, Okai. Subs: Lynch, Zioc-Black, Makofo, Nicell, Olaleye.

Workington: Collin, Arnison, Cowan, May, Gray, Hewson, Henley, Dillon, Birks, Hoolickin, Johnson. Subs: Goulding, Edmonson, Green, Goodall.

Maison officially Kettering's 'new' manager

Kettering Town chairman Imraan Ladak officially announced today that Morell Maison is the 'new' manager of the club, following his "successful spell as caretaker manager".

Maison took over the first team on February 2nd 2006, immediately following the sacking of Kevin Wilson, with 17 matches left until the end of the present season.

With the Poppies final match of the season coming this Saturday at home to Workington, Maison's record during the 16 matches he has been in charge is:

When Maison took over, the Poppies were 13th in the table. A 2-0 home win over (now) champions Northwich Victoria in his first match in charge started the team's climb and with one match left to play, Kettering will either finish 6th or 7th, just outside the play-off places.