Rye ace Cole to pursue Borough goal

Sam Cole will attempt to make a three-division jump from Sussex County Football League Division One to Conference South, although he could return to The Salts if it doesn’t work out.

Rye manager Scott Price said: “He’s going to give it a go pre-season and see how he gets on. Sam’s going to be hard to replace, but he might be coming back.”

Cole, who can play left-back or left-midfield and never stops running, has been a real find for Rye since signing from Hailsham Town two years ago.

He won the club’s players’ player and young player accolades last term having been a key part of the side which came runners-up in the league and John O’Hara League Challenge Cup, as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Vase and Sussex Senior Cup.

Of the rest of last season’s squad, Danny Leach and Paul Tuppenney have left. Price says other than that “no-one has told me they’re definitely leaving”, but Dominic Clarke is considered likely to be on his way out.

Price is hoping to bring in three players and reckons “two of them are 95 per cent certain”, but wants a smaller squad than last term. Left-back is a priority area with Cole and Tuppenney moving on.

Marc Gall is replacing Tuppenney as player/coach and training will start on Tuesday at St Paul’s School, Hastings, from 7pm.

The full article will appear in tomorrow’s Rye Observer.