Excited player/boss Ian Dunn feels Pinchbeck United have made a “marquee signing” after getting Andrew Tidswell to commit to the club.
The two-time ChromaSport UCL Premier Division champion and double golden boot winner has spent pre-season with the Knights – and has this week put pen-to-paper on forms with Dunn’s side.
Having walked away from the local footballing scene last season following hugely successful spells with Spalding United and Holbeach United, Tidswell had plenty of offers to end his self-imposed exile.
Dunn reckons that helping UCL Division One newboys Pinchbeck challenge for promotion was the incentive the versatile South Holland native needed and is delighted to have got his top summer target.
Adept as either a striker, midfielder or holding player, Tidswell will bring guile, knowhow and set-piece expertise to the Knights.
He joins Herbie Panting, Corey Kingston and Josh Smith as new recruits at promoted Pinchbeck, with Dunn now convinced he has a squad capable of competing at the top of the table.
“It’s a marquee signing for the club,” enthused Dunn. “I also think it’s a real statement of our intent, too.
“He’s a very clever footballer and has won the UCL twice, that’s the kind of experience we wanted.
“The beauty of ‘Tids’ – much like our other signings – is that he is very versatile.
“He could help us out up top, or equally could play as a holding or attacking midfielder. He’d probably tell you that he’s a good emergency keeper, too!
“I think he’s done all there is to do in the UCL Premier Division. But the target of helping us challenge for promotion in UCL Division One perhaps appealed to him a little bit.
“And that’s how we all feel. We’re not in the division to tread water, we want to carry on progressing.
“Targeting promotion will be our aim at the start of the season and we feel we have the squad capable of achieving that goal.”
Signing Tidswell means that Pinchbeck will have three UCL Premier Division title winners in their squad for 2017/18, joining Jack Smith and Dunn himself.
That kind of experience, mixed with the willingness of top scorer Ollie Maltby turning down the chance to play higher, will make Pinchbeck a side to fear in the UCL’s second tier.
Dunn has also been impressed by the willingness of his existing players – as well as new signings Josh Smith, Panting and Kingston – to step up a level and feels his squad now has a great mix of “power, pace and experience” ahead of the season opener at Huntington Town on Friday week (7.45pm).
Pinchbeck faced Premier Division side Sleaford Town last night and visit Stanground on Saturday (2pm).
Pinchbeck’s revised 2017/18 fixtures so far
JULY
28 – Huntingdon Town (a)
AUGUST
5 – Long Buckby (h)
12 – Lutterworth Town (h)
16 – Bourne Town (h)
19 – Buckingham Tn (a)
26 – R & Higham United (h)
SEPTEMBER
9 – Holbeach (h) (FA Vase)
13 – Blackstones (a)
27 – Oakham United (h)
OCTOBER
7 – St Andrews (h) (KO Cup)
*More fixtures to be announced later on due to ground-sharing issues with Spalding United.
