Eleven new signings announced!

Ahmet Rifat has confirmed a whole host of new signings this week, bolstering his squad alongside those that have been retained from last season. Below we have a brief introduction to each of them, but the best way to be introduced is to see the new boys in action - our final pre-season game is away on Saturday vs Hadley, before the league campaign starts away at Billericay on Saturday 9th August. You can still get your community membership to give you discounted access to every home league fixture, starting on Tuesday 12th August at home to Dulwich Hamlet.

First - a returning face in Sam Cornish. Cornish was signed at the beginning of the 2022/23 season after his release from Colchester United, where he had progressed up the ranks through their youth system from a young age. Sam played 42 times for the Blues that season, capping off the campaign with the player of the year award. In 2023/24, he spent the season at Hashtag United, and last season he was in the National League South with Welling United.

Next up, we welcome 24-year old forward Ada Okorogheye, who joins the club from Uxbridge, where he was a vital part of their playoff winning squad last season, achieving promotion from Isthmian South Central into Southern League Premier South division. Ada played 49 times last season for The Reds, scoring 18 goals including a vital goal in the playoff final against Hanworth Villa. A strong forward who is capable of playing anywhere across the frontline, he was also named in the Isthmian South Central team of the season last year, voted for by mangaers of fellow clubs. He started his career in the UK with Slough Town before moving to the USA for college, returning to play for Beaconsfield Town in 2023/24.

In defence, the first new signing is 20-year old versatile defender Kyron Horsley-McKay. As a youngster, Kyron was part of the Barnet youth set-up, and was named in the matchday squad back for the Bees in the FA Trophy back in 2021 as a teenager. More recently, he was part of the Millwall youth academy, departing at the end of 2023/24 and spending last season at Ashford Town, Hastings United and Carshalton Athletic. He has also represented Jamaica at youth international level.

Demaray Anyadike is the next signing, another hard-working attacking player. The 22-year old spent much of last season at Royston Town, prior to this he was at Walthamstow, and was awarded supporters' player of the year in 2022/23 in his first full season in men's football after helping Walthamstow into the playoffs in the Southern League Div One Central (step 4) that year. He moved up a level to Royston in December 2023 and didn't look back, including a goal on debut.

Back in defence, Mackye Townsend-West joins the club from Ware. He came through Stevenage's youth academy, and spent time around the first team set-up as a young teenager, including a first team appearance in the EFL Trophy back in 2019. He joined St Albans City in the National League South on loan at the start of 2022/23, before spending the second half of that season at Royston Town. He was subsequently released by Stevenage at the end of 2022/23, joining Royston permanently in 23/24 and then moving on to Ware last season. In October 2024, Mackye made his debut for Montserrat, starting at centre back alongside EFL defender Donervon Daniels against Bonaire.

Alfie Cutbush bolsters our midfield with his energy and range of passing. Cutbush was an Ipswich Town academy player, progressing through their academy for well over a decade to their U21s side and leaving the Suffolk-based club at the end of the 2023/24 season. Ahead of last season, he signed for Billericay Town, but departed for Heybridge Swifts where he played 43 games last season, a reliable member of the Swifts squad, even going in goal when required due to an injury to their goalkeeper back in January!

Another exciting forward player to join the Blues this summer is Johnny Allotey. The 21-year old thrives in one-on-one situations and has an eye for goal, scoring eleven times from the wing last season at Ware. A youth player at Hitchin Town, Johnny has also had spells at Hayes & Yeading, Potters Bar Town and Harrow Borough before thriving at Ware last season and now joining the Blues!

Alkeo Bani is another familiar face for Blues fans, having played at the club nearly 80 times across the 2021/22, 22/23 and 23/24 seasons. Alkeo joined the Blues from St Albans City in December 2021, after a spell with Watford's youth academy. In the run to the playoffs in 2023/24, Alkeo made 35 appearances in all competitions, including one goal which was a thunderbolt strike to steal a point away at Horsham. Last season, Alkeo had spells with local sides Haringey Borough and Hendon, and was a regular in the Greens side at the end of last season.

Also joining the midfield ranks at the Blues is Adam Lovatt, who has spent much of his career at Hastings United, including representing the club as their captain last season. His performances for Hastings as a youngster earned him a move to Sutton United in 2020, making a handful of appearances in League Two, while also regularly featuring out on loan in the National League South for the likes of Tonbridge Angels, Farnborough and Dartford. Upon the expiry of his contract with Sutton, he returned to Hastings before moving to the Blues for the season ahead!

Caoilan McGettigan joins the club from Hadley, where he impressed many last season as they went on a run to the playoffs in the Southern League Div One Central. McGettigan has also played for Walthamstow and Edgware & Kingsbury. After impressing at the Wares, including being awarded supporters' player of the season in 2021/22, he made the move to Hadley during the 22/23 season, and has gone from strength to strength, adding goals and showing further attacking prowess.

And finally... for now at least! Isaac Stones is another who is making the short journey from EN5 to N12. The tall striker joined the Bricks ahead of the 2023/24 season, having previously played for the likes of Kettering Town and Loughborough Dynamo. Stones was something of a goal machine for Hadley, scoring 50 goals across his two seasons, including some vital goals to help Hadley into the playoffs last season, and a man that is not afraid of taking the match ball home with him.