Whitton United have turned to three of their former title-winners to lead their charge for Thurlow Nunn Division One promotion this season.
New manager Shane Coldron has drafted in Stowmarket Town championship winners, Tom Bradlaugh and Scott Marjoram, as well as Henley Athletic striker Chris Williams.
The trio were all integral parts of the successful Whitton team that won the Division One title and Suffolk Senior Cup in 2014 under new Diss Town manager, Paul Bugg.
Williams netted 115 goals in 174 appearances, between 2010 and 2016 – during his first spell at Whitton – before moving to Felixstowe & Walton United, where he scored six times in 24 games last season, prior to joining SIL champions Henley.
Centre-back Marjoram, who scored three goals in 95 games during his first spell with the club and midfielder Bradlaugh, who notched 38 goals in 88 appearances, helped Stowmarket win promotion to the Thurlow Nunn Premier in the spring and will be looking to repeat the feat in the new campaign.
Coldron said: “I coached Scott (Marjoram) for many years at Ipswich Athletic and then Stowmarket Town and he, along with Tom Bradlaugh, was a member of the last Whitton squad that won promotion.
“I wanted to bring in experience to complement the young players we have at the club and Chris Williams is another player that fits that criteria, being a proven goalscorer in Division One.”
Whitton finished last season in a comfortable mid-table position in Division One, having struggled in the lower reaches of the division prior to manager Steve Jay’s arrival in November.
After Jay elected to leave the club at the end of the season, Stowmarket assistant manager Coldron stepped into the hotseat and is tweaking a formula that he thinks worked quite well towards the end of the campaign.
“To be honest, the way Whitton turned the corner under Steve Jay and (assistant) Robbie Knott, we just needed to bring in a bit of strength and guidance to add to the squad,” Coldron added.
“I didn’t want to bring in too many new faces as I wanted to give the squad from last season a fair crack of the whip.
“However, I am happy that I have brought in three old faces that will strengthen the spine of the team and add experience.”
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