Former Gosport Borough and Hawks double promotion winner Lee Molyneaux targeting more success after swapping Baffins for Horndean

The 39-year-old started 2020/21 as assistant manager to Mick Catlin at AFC Portchester, while he surprised himself by being a virtual ever present for Baffins Milton Rovers in 2021/22.

Now he’s reunited with Catlin, who has been general manager at Horndean, in a bid to lend his vast experience to a potential promotion challenge.

Molyneaux was in demand at the end of a season in which he featured in 33 of Baffins’ 40 step 5 games.

‘I was very surprised to get five or six calls. That meant I must have been doing something right last season,’ he told The News.

‘I met with Michael Birmingham, who I already knew, and what he wants to achieve is actually achievable with the squad he’s got.

‘There’s no hiding from the fact I’ve only got one or two years left, and I want to win something.’

Molyneaux has featured in four promotion-winning Hampshire non-league teams – back-to-back with Gosport Borough and again with Hawks. Now he’s targeting a fifth.

‘Other clubs have long-term plans and that’s no good for me,’ he stated. ‘And when I say I want to win things, I’m talking about the league. That’s the main one for me, and that’s how Michael Birmingham sold it to me.

‘A couple of clubs I talked to mentioned the possibility of a coaching role and potentially a manager’s role down the line, but at the moment I just want to play.’

Molyneaux confessed he didn’t expect to feature so often for Baffins last season, after only playing occasional games in the previous two years - having spent the 2019/20 campaign in charge of Southern League club Gosport Borough.

‘Horndean was very attractive for me,’ he continued. ‘They’re very professional, they always train twice a week. They’re renowned for their fitness, and part of the reason I want to carry on playing is to stay fit.

‘We didn’t always train twice a week at Baffins, it depended on what pitches we could get. At Horndean you don’t get any days off, but I like that professionalism.’

Molyneaux was twice on the losing side against Horndean last season, Baffins losing 3-1 at home and 2-0 at Five Heads Park, where both goals came late on.

‘I thought at their place we dominated, but their fitness and ruthlessness told. Their desire to win was impressive,’ he recalled.

Horndean blasted over 100 league goals last season, with Connor Duffin (40) and Zack Willett (35) the leading two scorers in the Wessex Premier in terms of purely league goals.

SEE MORE: 26 Portsmouth area football team pictures from 1982-1984 – including two Horndean ones

Among Horndean’s other close season signings is Rudi Blankson, who was ninth highest Wessex Premier marksman in 2021/22 with 22 league goals for Baffins.

‘Rudi’s stats are really impressive when you consider he wasn’t fully fit,’ said Molyneaux. ‘I’m so pleased he’s joined us.

‘Horndean have a hell of a strikeforce. Another reason for me to sign for them was I didn’t have to face Connor Duffin again next season!’

Horndean have also signed two other Baffins players, teenager Ethan Gee and Tommy Patterson. The latter only played once for Rovers, in their penultimate game of last season at champions Hamworthy, after recovering from injury.

Patterson can play wide midfield or left back and Molyneaux reported: ‘He’s a serious talent.

‘Tommy asked me about Horndean, and I just said to go and have a look. Rudi had already signed before I did.’

Molyneaux, who has experience of playing in the top two tiers of English non-league, said of the Wessex: ‘It’s a good league, a tough league.

‘There are some good strikers. Lee Wort’s gone to play at a higher level, I’m sure Connor Duffin could play at a higher level.

‘It suits where I am work wise and family wise. It’s not like when I was at Havant where you’d have to get up at 6 or 7am for an away game, and wouldn’t get back until 8 or 9.’

Horndean were in the market for new central defenders following Louie Martin’s retirement at the end of last season. And, since Molyneaux has signed, Jack Lee has rejoined former club Moneyfields.