K'S GET THEIR MAN

Kingstonian Football Club today announced the signing of goalkeeper Lance Key from Conference outfit Northwich Victoria.

The 33 year old 6'3" custodian comes to Kingsmeadow on a free transfer.

A delighted Manager, Bill Williams said, "We are fortunate to be able to sign a 'Keeper' of Lance's quality and experience. Had it not been for the fact that his job had moved him south and the generosity of the Northwich 'Board', he would still be holding down the number one spot".

Key, whose previous clubs include Sheffield Wednesday, Dundee United and Rochdale moved permanently to the Cambridge area today. He said "Bill Williams has been hounding me to sign for the last three weeks, I'm delighted to be a Kingstonian player and hope that I can contribute towards taking them straight back into the 'Conference'.

K's provisional game against Reading on the 28th July 2001 has been officially confirmed and goes ahead as scheduled at 3pm.

Wimbledon will be at a new venue this coming season with their Reserve and Ladies teams playing their home fixtures at Kingsmeadow Stadium, home of Kingstonian Football Club.

The two Clubs have signed a new three year deal, which will see Wimbledon Reserves play their home fixtures on Monday evenings with a 7.30.pm. kick-off and Wimbledon Ladies playing their home games on Sunday afternoons kicking off at 2.00.pm. In addition, Wimbledons Under-18 youth side will also play their FA Youth Cup home ties at Kingsmeadow.

Both Wimbledon and Kingstonian are keen to expand on this new agreement and are looking forward to forming a long-term partnership for the future.

Wimbledon FC already has a great relationship with the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames through its Football In The Community scheme and it is hoped to build on this in conjunction with Kingstonian in the future.

Kingstonian FC Director Malcolm Grant, who negotiated the agreement with Wimbledon, said: "We wanted to be involved with a nationwide League Club that wants to work with us, and Wimbledon FC is the ideal partner. They have been tremendously positive about this association with the Ks and we are both keen to develop joint initiatives to the benefit of our supporters and the community."

Wimbledon FC Club Chairman Charles Koppel said: "We are delighted to have secured this agreement with Kingstonian FC, they have excellent facilities and great potential, and we look forward to a long and successful partnership."

The move ends The Dons playing association with Sutton United, which has hosted the Dons reserve team for the last three seasons, and Wimbledon wish to thank Sutton United for their friendship and all their assistance over that time and wish them well for the future.

Pitcher completes Albion move

The club today (Monday) completed the signing of Geoff Pitcher from Kingstonian for an undisclosed fee. The midfielder has signed a three-year contract with the Albion after agreeing personal terms with Micky Adams.

The 25-year-old playmaker - who jets off to Turkey for a holiday tomorrow - is moving back into the professional game, after spending the last three seasons playing in the Conference with Kingstonian. Last season, despite the K's suffering relegation, Pitcher scored ten goals from midfield, and was an influential figure during the club's superb FA Cup run, which included the scalps of both Brentford and Southend, and so very nearly Bristol City.

Sutton-born Pitcher began his career at Millwall, where he signed professional forms in 1993, but he never made the first team. In July 1994 he joined Watford, after being released by the Lions. In February 1997 he moved to Colchester - where he had a very brief spell, before linking up with Kingstonian in August 1998. He played 94 times for the K's, scoring 24 goals.

Kingstonian Football Club are hosting a live radio programme on Tuesday 26th June for BBC Radio Five Live. Doors open at 7pm and the programme 'ANY SPORTING QUESTIONS' will be broadcast from 8pm-9.30pm.

A live audience will put their questions and comments to the celebrity sporting panel who will include the former Sports Minister KATE HOEY, the former David Cup Captain DAVID LLOYD and the British former women's No. 1 tennis player SAM SMITH.

Anyone is welcome to attend free of charge. If you would like a ticket please contact Jane on 07711 789099.

BRIGHTON LAND 55K PITCHER by Colin Mafham

England semi-professional international Geoff Pitcher will complete a 55,000 move to Second Division Brighton tomorrow.

The Kingstonian midfielder passed a medical and is expected to agree personal terms with Brighton boss Micky Adams before flying out for a holiday in Turkey on Tuesday.

Pitcher, who has eight England caps, is the second international midfielder to leave the Surrey club since their relegation to the Ryman League.

Gary Patterson moved to Farnborough just under a fortnight ago.

New K's manager Bill Williams has already signed Pitcher's replacement by capturing former Notts County midfielder Dave Clarke from Williams' former club Dover in a 10,000 deal.

Brighton pipped Oxford United in the race for Pitcher, who is finally achieving his ambition to return to League football after earlier spells with Millwall and Watford.

The 25-year old had talks with Oxford's new manager Mark Wright, who tried to sign him once before when he was at Southport.

But the lure of Second Division football and the fact that Brighton is only 45 minutes away from Pitcher's home in Sutton, sent him to the coast.

"I always said I wanted the chance to play League football again and now I'm really looking forward to the challenge," he said.

"I didn't know if it was going to happen after Brighton's first bid was turned down, but as I could have walked away for nothing in a year's time I don't think it was in Kingstonian's interest to ask for silly money for me."

CLARKE SIGNS FOR K'S

After two weeks of negotiation Dover Athletic's star mid-field player Dave Clarke finally put pen to paper and became a Kingstonian player.

The 29 year old ex Notts County player was purchased for a fee of 10,000 and leaves Dover with a year of his contract remaining.

Commenting on the signing Manager Bill Williams said, "Dave Clarke is a class act and with the loss of Gary Patterson and the imminent departure of Geoff Pitcher, it was vital that an experienced and competitive campaigner was brought to the Club".

A final pre-season game has been added to the K's list when they travel to Eastbourne to play 'The Borough' on the 11th August 2001 in their final practice game before the seasons kicks off.

At the Conference EGM today the following was decided:

This season the Champions of the Conference will go into the final of a play-off. They will be joined by the winners of a knockout between the sides finishing 2-5. The winners of the play-off will be promoted to the football league.

The Conference will only accept the Champions of each feeder league into the league. Previously it accepted the runners up if the champions failed to meet the required ground grading.

After the next season the Conference will only accept the same number of teams promoted from the three feeder leagues as there are promoted from the Conference to the Football League.

In a five hour AGM of the Ryman League, chairman Alan Turvey was re-appointed by a substantial majority despite the challenge from Chesham United chairman David Pembroke.

During the meeting the Ryman League implemented restructuring of the leagues for the 2002/03 season. The new structure will consist of a Premier League, 1st Division North, 1st Division South and a Second Division. There will be 24 teams in the Premier League and both 1st Divisions with 16 teams in Division 2.

It is likely that at the end of the 2001/02 season only one club will be relegated with three teams gaining promotion from Division 1 so to increase the Premier League to 24 teams. There was a proposal from the floor that two teams should be relegated with two promoted. A final decision will be made in the next couple of days.

The FA's restructuring proposals were also revealed. The start of the 2003/04 season will see a Conference League, Division 1 North and Division 1 South with 24 clubs in each league. The top 16 or 17 Ryman Premier Division clubs will be invited into the new structure subject to Football Conference grading.

However, only four clubs currently have Conference graded grounds. These are Kingstonian, Aldershot Town, Canvey Island and St. Albans City.

K'S ADD MID-FIELD DYNAMO TO SQUAD

Kingstonian Football Club today announced the signing of Hayes mid-field player Steve McKimm to their squad.

The 26 year old mid-fielder comes to K's on a Bosman ruling, with no fee being involved.

Commenting on the signing, Manager Bill Williams said, "Steve is just what I'm looking for, an experienced local player, who can sit and hold the central areas of mid-field.

His talent and experience of playing with Hendon, Dulwich and Hayes at this level will prove invaluable over the season".

K's pre-season kicks off at home to Southend United on the 21st July, with an extra provisional date of 28th July being offered to Reading to add to the present six pre-season matches.

GROBBELAAR IS TARGET FOR K'S by Tony Flood

Bruce Grobbelaar, the former Liverpool goalkeeper at the centre of match fixing allegations, has been asked by Kingstonian manager Bill Williams to replace departing England Non-League star Steve Farrelly.

Out-of-contract Farrelly has rejected Kingstonian's latest offer and seems certain to announce his decision to leave the club when he returns from honeymoon this week.

Grobbelaar has been waiting on the result of a House of Lords appeal on his libel case with The Sun who made legal history in January when they won an appeal on his libel case against them.

Depending on the House of Lords' decision, the flamboyant 43-year-old Zimbabwean international, originally cleared of match-fixing in 1997 after claims made the newspaper, could face a ban from FIFA.

But WIlliams, who managed him in South Africa almost 25 years ago, says "That won't deter me as long as he is available to play when the season starts because he could lodge an appeal. I have spoken to Bruce recently with a view to him joining us and the ball is in his court.

"He told me that if the opportunity and the money is right he'd be interested in coming to K's. Now he has to consider our offer along with any others he may have received.

"Bruce has just returned to England after playing for Hellenic in Cape Town and is a free agent. He is living in Guildford, so he is within easy reach of our ground. He may be 43, but he is fully fit and a great character to have in the dressing room.

"Bruce has always given his best for me. My only worry is that he may go globe-trotting again, so it could be a short-term arrangement. If Bruce is not clear to play I may find a replacement for Farrelly in Farnborough keeper Stuart McKenzie, who is out of contract."

Williams bought the 18-year-old Grobbelaar for Durban City during the four years he spent managing in South Africa and later took him to Vancouver Whitecaps.

Williams faces the break-up of the K's double Trophy winning side he inherited from Geoff Chapple. "Farrelly and centre-half Derek Allan turned down our offers and we will not be increasing them - so they can leave," he said.

"I appreciate Farrelly was England's No 1 Non-League keeper until his back operation, but we must stick to our wage structure. Gary Patterson turned down our improved offer and has joined Farnborough. Oxford United and Brighton have both made offers for Geoff Pitcher, but we have turned them down. If they come back with acceptable offers we will not stand in his way."

Williams has active in the transfer market himself, with three new signings - 23-year-old centre-half Peter Barnsby from Hampton & Richmond Borough and defender Stuart Munday and midfielder Dave Clarke from his former club, Dover.

Clarke, who missed much of last season with an ankle injury, will cost 10,000 subject passing a medical. There is also a fee involved for Barnsby.

Williams says: "We have lost the services of two centre-halves and need to replace them. Barnsby fits the bill as a ball winner, while Munday is the best right-back in the Conference and Clarke is one of the best midfielders. To get Munday, who played more than 100 games for Brighton, on a Bosman is a great signing."

WILLIAMS SIGNS DEFENDER

Kingstonian Football Club today announced the signing of utility defender Stuart Munday from Dover Athletic Football Club.

This 28 year old ex-Brighton & Hove full back comes as no stranger to Manager Bill Williams having been ever present in his Conference side for the past five seasons.

Commenting on his second signing in just over a week, Williams said "I'm delighted to have been able to sign Stuart, especially as there was a great deal of competition for his signature. He is tenacious, and a very quick thinking defender, who has over 300 league and 'Conference' games under his belt - and I know exactly what he will bring to the team".

The K's players return to pre-season training on the 10th July 2001 and the pre-season games kick off on Saturday 21st July with a home game against Southend's first team.

K'S SIGN CENTRE HALF

Kingstonian Football Club today announced the signing of 23 years old Peter Barnsby from Hampton & Richmond Borough FC.

The young centre half comes as the first signing of new manager Bill Williams.

The transfer is subject to both clubs agreeing a compensation fee, which should be concluded by the end of the week.

In the event of a fee not being agreed a decision will be made at a Tribunal.

Commenting on the signing, Williams said "The Club has lost the services of two centre halves and is in need particularly of a ball winner and Peter fits the bill. I've watched him play at least half a dozen times and have been impressed every time."

STUART MUNDAY has departed Crabble and followed Bill Williams to Kingstonian. The out of contract Whites defender opted to drop down to the Ryman League out of loyalty to his manager.

Munday said on Sunday afternoon: "Kingstonian are an ambitious club. Bill is a great manager to work for and I believe he'll guide them straight back to the Conference. I had a good time at Dover but the time probably came for a change. Bill asked if I wanted to sign for his new club and I had no hesitation."

SOURCE: Evening Argus, Brighton.

Confirmation is expected from the club tomorrow.