Long Melford manager David Hennessey close to a full set of existing players committing to Stoneylands club for 2023/24
If the sign of a happy dressing room is players remaining in situ there is unlikely to be a more harmonious camp kicking off the 2023/24 campaign than at Long Melford’s Stoneylands.
Little more than a month on from the end of their Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division campaign concluding with an 11th place finish in the Premier Division, in his first in senior football management after stepping up from the reserves, David Hennessey has had no trouble keeping his squad together.
Despite not being able to pay his players like many others in their division, with Melford only reimbursing for travel, only one player from last 2022/23’s first-team squad is still undecided. In fact some 21 players - across the first team and what will be an under-23s team replacing the reserves - have already committed to another season.
Among the first-team headliners to remain is striker Ryan Gibbs, the older brother of Norwich City’s midfielder Liam, whose 16 goals in 25 games will have left him far from short of other paid offers.
But like Supporters’ Player of the Season Josh Collins and other fans’ favourites in Ben Judge and goalkeepers Matt Walker and David Leader, he is going nowhere this summer.
The same is true of The Villagers’ captain and Players’ Player of the Season Jacob Brown and Manager’s Player of the Season Jake Jackson.
“For us the focus was on getting those boys done first and since them I have actually managed to speak to quite a few more and our retention numbers have steadily climbed,” said Hennessey.
“We identified what was the core of the group we wanted to move forward with and we’re obviously delighted to be able to retain all seven of them.”
The 14 additional players outside that seven includes Lewis Brennan, Fred Dende, Charlie Holmes and Deklyn Roy.
And it could soon be a clean sweep of players staying in Hennessey’s squad that finished last term, which included a memorable foray to the quarter-finals of the Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup where they eventually bowed out at holders Needham Market.
“Only one first-teamer from last season who hasn’t committed his future to Long Melford and that’s because he’s looking to come away from Step 5 and not doing as much travel and commuting to be playing his football. And if that is the case then we support that decision, and should he change his mind we will obviously keep the door open.
“At the moment he is still undecided and wants to take a bit more time to work out what he’s doing and will then let us know, so it’s not even a case of losing him to another club.”
Melford followers should still see some new faces in the squad come the start of the season in August though with Hennessey keen to add more competition and depth to build on a campaign which saw them bounce back from a relegation reprieve in Jamie Bradbury’s final year in charge.
Meanwhile, Melford have announced they will host former Ipswich Town and Colchester United professional Cole Skuse’s Bury Town side in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday, July 18 (7.45pm).
Three days prior to that, fellow higher-league outfit Brightlingsea Regent are set to be the visitors to Stoneylands while Hennessey will also test his side at Felixstowe & Walton United on July 22. Other friendlies to complete their warm-up fixtures are yet to be announced.
