Watson signs but Taylor could stay (From The Argus)
Get involved: Send your news, views, pictures and video by texting SUPIC to 80360 or email us.
Watson signs but Taylor could stay
2:00pm Wednesday 22nd June 2011 in Blue Square Bet South Table & Results By Steve Hollis
New colours: Ben Watson pictured in action for Bognor (green and white) - against Borough
Nick Greenwood insists Eastbourne Borough have not given up hope of hanging on to the services of top scorer Jamie Taylor despite completing the signing of a third striker yesterday.
Borough swooped to land former Albion and Bognor marksman Ben Watson following his release from Exeter City.
He joins new arrivals Carl Rook and Ian Pulman at Priory Lane as Borough make contingency plans for the possibility of losing Taylor and fellow striker Richard Pacquette.
Head coach Greenwood said: “We made the offers to Jamie and Richard back in April and the longer it goes on the less likely it is they will stay but we would never shut the door on them.
“We are still waiting to hear back from them but if they do eventually decide to go elsewhere at least we have got a good squad in place without them. Ben is a terrific player who we have been tracking for a long time.
“He had a difficult time last season with a calf injury but he is over that now and is keen to return to his roots in Sussex and start playing regularly again.
“He is a good all-round player who can fill a variety of positions and crucially has an eye for goal.”
Watson failed to make a first team appearance with Albion but went on to enjoy a prolific three-year stint at Bognor which earned him a move to Grays Athletic.
The 25-year-old joined Exeter on loan in 2008 before making the move permanent when the Grecians won promotion to the Football League. He was unable to hold down a regular place at St James Park though and had spells on loan at Forest Green Rovers and Bath City before being released in May.
Meanwhile, Borough have also confirmed that skipper Ben Austin and midfielder Matt Smart have agreed new deals to keep them at Priory Lane next season.
Defender Matt Langston will join the club for pre-season training in a bid to prove his fitness following knee surgery in February.
