Bognor Regis legend James Crane hails Horndean ‘buzz’ after dropping down into the Wessex League

The versatile 33-year-old has left Bognor Regis Town - for whom he has more than 500 appearances - in a bid to get more regular minutes.

Crane believed he should have had more chances in a Rocks team that was not getting results in the Isthmian League.

He turned out for Horndean on a handful of occasions in the autumn, on a dual registration, in order to build up his match fitness.

But he has now joined Michael Birmingham’s squad permanently for what promises to be a very exciting Wessex League promotion race.

‘I want to play for as long as I can – every week if possible – but I’ve been in and out of the team. I’ve been available all season but not played much,’ Crane told The News’ sister paper The Bognor Observer.

‘It’s the manager’s choice but it’s been frustrating. If you’re playing and losing, at least you’re trying to make a difference. But I’d become a squad player and didn’t like watching the team struggle from the stand.

‘I had conversations with Robbie Blake and he was aware I wanted to play. And I do feel that as a team we looked harder to beat when I was in the side.’

A few clubs have been in touch but Birmy (Michael Birmingham) gave me games when I needed them. I know him of old and I like the way he runs his team.’

‘They’re going for promotion and there’s a buzz there – I know a lot of the players well, including Chad Field and Tommy Scutt, who I played with at Bognor.’

Crane was part of the Rocks sides who won promotion from the Isthmian south division in 2012 and from the premier to National League South in 2017 and reached the semis of the FA Trophy in 2016.

On his first appearance since joining the Deans permanently, Crane came off the bench at half-time to play in central defence in last Tuesday’s Portsmouth Senior Cup tie at US Portsmouth Reserves.

He was also on target, scoring the final goal in his side’s 8-0 win that booked a home quarter-final tie against Moneyfields.

Birmingham told The News: ‘It’s a great signing for us. When James came on (at US Portsmouth) he controlled the game for us with his mouth.’

Horndean, meanwhile, remain without a Wessex fixture to their name since they beat Moneyfields 2-1 at Westleigh Park on December 16.

Yesterday’s scheduled PO postcode derby against Baffins at the PMC Stadium was one of many Wessex games postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

That leaves Horndean with 21 Premier fixtures to play, and 14 Saturdays remaining of the 2022/23 campaign. At present, the Deans’ final fixture is home to Portland on April 22.

Horndean have only played seven home league games (out of 19) so far, the joint lowest (with Alresford) in the Wessex top flight.

Hopefully they won’t end up with a repeat of the 2015/16 campaign when their last eight home games were shoehorned into a 21-day period.

Then managed by Craig Pearce, the Deans played home league matches on April 19, 23, 26, 28 and 30 and May 3, 7 and 9. And they only lost one of them.

Horndean are currently four points adrift of second-placed Stoneham in the Wessex Premier, and have three games in hand.

And that sets up Stoneham’s visit to Five Heads Park on Tuesday very nicely indeed!