Terras in safe hands
By Adam Summers

Tuesday 7th July 2009

GOALKEEPER Ryan Harrison has insisted that Weymouth will be going all out under manager Matty Hale to be a success story in Blue Square South this season.

Huge financial problems and relegation from the Blue Square Premier has meant the Terras have had to build a new squad from scratch this summer with a limited budget but despite all the upheavals the early signs in pre-season training have been encouraging according to the club’s new stopper.

Harrison said: “We trained a couple of times last week and although there has been a lot of trialists taking part it is looking promising.

“It looks like we are going to be a very young squad but there is some experience in there as well with the likes of Kyle Critchell and Scott Brice, who will no doubt be very important players for us.

“The other thing that has impressed me is that it looks like everyone will be going all out to do well rather than just settling for being at a good club in a half decent league, which is very important.”

Harrison spent last season with Oxford City but it was through Hale’s links with Team Bath that the Terras’ boss first noticed the 23-year-old’s talents.

“I trained at Team Bath last season whenever I could,” said Harrison. “In fact we tried to do something at one stage but you have got to be on a course there.

“Despite that I still continued to turn up throughout the year and even played in a few friendlies and reserve-team matches, and that is where Matty obviously spotted me and thought I could be the right person to bring down with him to Weymouth.

“I played at Oxford City all last season in the Southern League Premier Division where we ended up doing not too bad, finishing just three points adrift of the play-offs in what was our first season after coming up from the league below.

“Before that I was at Llanelli and won the Welsh Premier League with them and played in Europe, and prior to that I had spells at Forest Green Rovers, Wrexham and Swansea City which is where my career started.”

The Terras travel to Bridport on Saturday for their first pre-season friendly but it is unclear whether Harrison or any of the club’s other new signings will take part.

Hale said: “We have got a couple more training sessions this week so we will take a look at things and then make some decisions ahead of Saturday.

“One or two of the lads that have signed on may take part against Bridport but I think in the main it will be trialists as we look to whittle down the numbers.”

* Weymouth will take on Coca-Cola League One side Exeter City at the Wessex Stadium on July 29. Kick-off time to be confirmed.