Wilde praises Gosport team after taking Totton job

Left winger Wilde made nearly 300 appearances in his seven-and-a-half years at Privett Park.

Not surprisingly he is sad to leave a club that has provided him with so many happy memories.

He also urged the fans to keep supporting the present squad under difficult circumstances.

‘My message to the fans is to keep getting behind the unbelievable team still at the club,’ said Wilde.

‘They are a good team that plays good football.

‘I still feel they are capable of achieving things.

‘Everything that has gone on recently is unfortunate and hopefully will be sorted out pretty soon.

‘For me at the age of 37 I know that my game time has become more limited.

‘This is a great chance for me at Totton to move onto the next stage.

‘I will still be playing and I am lucky to be getting the opportunity to work with a team at their level.’

Wilde joined Borough in 2009 when the club were in the Southern League South & West Division.

He became an important member of the squad that won two promotions and reached the FA Trophy final at Wembley.

Wilde played in both FA Trophy semi-finals against the Hawks but was only named in the substitutes for the final.

The experienced wide player insists Borough’s success was largely down to the unique team spirit at the club.

‘My whole experience with Borough has been fantastic,’ said Wilde.

‘I wouldn’t have stayed so long if I wasn’t enjoying it.

‘The players were all good friends and socialised together off the pitch.

‘Other people labelled us as a Crazy Gang because of some of the antics that went on.

‘We liked to enjoy ourselves but we also liked to win.

‘When it came to the football we were as professional as we needed to be.

‘We got our heads down and worked hard when we had to.’

Wilde believes his time at Borough will stand him in good stead as he moves into his new challenge at Totton.

He has particular praise for Borough’s assistant manager Mick Catlin, who was very influential in his progress at Gosport.

‘I couldn’t have learned from a better teacher than Mick,’ he added.

‘The way in which he acts around the players and what he does at the club is unbelievable.

‘I owe him a lot and cannot speak too highly of him.’

Wilde is the second player to leave Borough in the last week.

Goalkeeper Martin Rice also left the club by mutual consent, leaving 18-year-old Lewis Watch to make his debut at Weston-super-Mare.

Gosport Borough host Concorde Rangers in the Ryman Premier League at the Aerial Direct Stadium tomorrow (3pm).