US Portsmouth targeting goalkeeping and central midfield areas ahead of Wessex League curtain-raiser at new boys Pagham

Quirke has lost a handful of last season’s regular US first team squad, but has brought in some replacements with Wessex League nous.

One of them, former Baffins and Horndean centre half Sam Emeney, is a ‘leading contender to replace Tom Jeffes both positionally and as captain for the 2022/23 Premier Division campaign.

It’s other areas of the team’s spine which need addressing now before the first game of the league season at new boys Pagham on August 2.

Last season’s regular keeper Dylan Kramer is among five players to have joined Wessex top flight rivals - alongside Jeffes, Joe Johnson, Owen Scammell and Frankie Paige.

Ex-Paulsgrove shot-stopper Tommie Stanley and Kieran Hards have worn the gloves in pre-season.

Ex-Bournemouth Academy prospect Tom Dinsmore added a touch of higher division class to US’ midfield last term, after switching from Moneyfields, but he is now at Chichester.

‘If I could conjure up players by magic, the goalkeeping and central midfield areas would be the two I’d look for,’ said Quirke.

‘I fully understand where we are in the pecking order. There’s a lot of players at Portchester, a lot at Horndean … there could be some player movement at the end of this month or in the first month of the season when players realise they may not be getting the time they’d thought they would.

‘There might be an opportunity for us to strengthen further then.

‘Getting a consistent group of players together is going to be a little bit of a challenge for us.’

Quirke has signed attacking midfielder Bradey Norton, who he worked with when assistant manager at Moneyfields last season.

Striker Lamin Jatta, who had a short stint on loan from Portchester last term, is now a permanent signing and Brodie Spencer - like Norton, a player capable of operating in a No 10 role - has recovered from a broken leg suffered playing Sunday League football last autumn.

Right-back Tee Kanjanda, once of Horndean, has been recruited while striker Kelvin Mathe will be an unknown quantity for Wessex defenders.

Mathe has played higher up the pyramid for Bedworth Town and Ossett Albion, and has returned to the game after a while concentrating on his work.

Meanwhile, Emeney has joined after making just 12 appearances in all competitions for Horndean in 2021/22. He could form an ex-Deans centre back pairing with Connor Grant.

Quirke is hoping his son Cameron will be available for around 20 games next season, despite being deployed in the west country – he has signed dual registration forms for a Wendron side who finished third in the South West Peninsula League last season.