Rebels confirm three new signings
Slough Town are delighted to announce their first signings of the summer after capturing Stuart Swift, Paul Coyne and Craig O'Connor.
I remember him from his Watford days, he’s very good. Steve Bateman on Paul Coyne in the Express Slough Town Football Club are delighted to announce their first signings of the summer after capturing midfielders Stuart Swift and Paul Coyne from local rivals Burnham, while Craig O'Connor returns from Beaconsfield SYCOB.
Both Swift and Coyne played a key role in helping Jamie Jarvis’ side reach the play-offs last season where they lost out to Chesham United at the semi-final stage.
Left winger Swift, who scored the equaliser against the Rebels with a stunning free-kick at the Gore late last season, scored eight goals during the previous campaign.
In the previous season Swift also helped his former club Beaconsfield SYCOB to the play-offs in the South & West league and in the 2007/08 season won the Player’s Player of the year at SYCOB after scoring 24 goals - helping the Rams become Spartan South Midlands League Champions.
Central midfielder Coyne will be a familiar face to the Rebels fans having also played at Windsor & Eton before moving to Burnham. Coyne started his career at Watford where he was a scholar before joining Wealdstone and then Marlow.
During his time at Windsor, Coyne was a key figure in helping the Royalists narrowly miss out to Truro for the South & West title in the 2008/09 season.
During that season Coyne had mixed fortunes playing against his new club, scoring one of the goals of the season with a 40 yard strike into the top corner in a 6-2 victory for the Royalists against the Rebels at Stag Meadow, but also in the same season seeing red for a challenge on Luke Evans in the return fixture as the Rebels beat his title-chasing side 3-2 at Holloways Park.
Also rejoining the club is striker Craig O’Connor. The striker left the Rebels midway through last season to join Burnham and ended the season playing for Beaconsfield SYCOB.
O'Connor lists Maidenhead United, Windsor & Eton, Weymouth and Thurrock as his former clubs. He scored three goals in thirteen appearances for the Rebels last season including crucial strikes against Concord Rangers in the FA Cup and a last-gasp strike at Mangotsfield United in the FA Trophy.
The new players joined Steve Bateman, John Lawford and new assistant manager Dave Anderson for Slough’s first pre-season training outing yesterday as the Rebels returned to action.