With a few weeks since the departure of both Lee Vaughan and Mickey Demetriou from the club the fans have been wondering which full backs Gary Whild would be signing to replace them.  Many of us were worrying that he would be tempted to get a rookie from lower down the league ladder and not an experienced 'old head' from above or at the same level.  Luckily for us he made the right move and bought in the highly rated Forest Green defender Jared Hodgkiss soon after he was released from that club.

Jared had spent seven years with FGR making a total of 169 games and scoring five times.  He had also been given the captains arm band many times.

Born in Stafford, he started his career as a trainee with both Wolves and then West Brom with whom he made fifteen appearances after he signed professional forms for them.  He spent time out on loan at the likes of Aberdeen and Northampton too before getting released at the end of the 08-09 season and joined FGR a few weeks later.

Now he has joined up with us for an initial one season contract.

Since my last update, the Mickey Demetriou item, it has been quite quiet on the Aggborough front with just a couple of new contracts issued to players.  The first one was to Marvin Johnson after he agreed to stay with the club, rather than seek his fortune elsewhere, with a one year extension.

Likewise for Aman Verma who was also given a one year contract after ending the season with us at Halifax.  It was there that he caught the eye and possibly earned himself the deal on the back of that.

Away from Aggborough there has been some bad news with Hereford getting expelled from the league due to some financial shenanigans that make you wonder if there are any clubs left that haven't got a crook waiting to pounce on them.  The character, Tommy Agombar, who has declared himself a lifelong 'football man' appears to be nothing such and is only there to profit and run once the club collapses.  That won't be too far away with his lies of payments made, not being made, and the council supposedly writing caveats into the ground lease details that will eventually see the end of Hereford Utd in its present form to be revived by the true fans into an fan run AFC Telford type of club but with no ground to play at.  Because the council will one day give in and hand it over to Agombar to pay the debts owed to them.

Coming back into the league to replace Hereford is Chester FC so that'll mean a first chance for the Harriers to play against their former manager, Steve Burr.  Also getting a reprieve from relegation were Dartford who have replaced Salisbury after they too were conned by a crook who tried to take the money and run but got caught.

Hopefully the next piece of news bought to you will be the signing of a new left back and the fixtures for next season.  They are due to be released sometime in early July.