GLOUCESTER CITY AFC PRESS RELEASE

From: Gloucester City Football Club

Date: 21 May 2007

TITLE: CITY SIGN CIREN STAR

Gloucester City are delighted to announce that they have completed the signing of Cirencester Town star Kevin Sawyer, who has signed a contract to play for The Tigers for the coming season.

Sawyer started in the academy system at Cirencester before moving on five years ago for a highly successful period with Salisbury, ending with a Southern League Premier Division Championship medal at the end of the 2005-6 season, a season which saw him as the only ever-present in Salisbury’s Premier Division matches, keeping 22 clean sheets in their title-winning campaign. He then went on to spend another year at Cirencester last season, picking up the sponsors and supporters player-of-the-year awards.

Tim Harris was delighted to capture Sawyer, saying Kevin is a keeper of stature at 6’ 3” and has a big presence. He has tasted success at this level, and is one of, if not the best keeper in the league”

“I see this as a major coup for the club, especially as Kevin wanted to be part of what we are building here. But at the same time it was not an easy decision to release Ray Johnston. He was a popular keeper on and off the field, and had done nothing wrong, but as a manager you sometimes have to make tough decisions. I have to look to bring in the very best players that I am able under the budget I have to work with, and there can be no room for sentiment”

For his part, Sawyer is excited by the new challenge at City “City are a big club, with a great fan-base and ambitions for the future, so I was delighted to hear that they were interested in me. From that moment on I knew that there was no other club I wanted to play for at this level, even though several others were interested.”

Sawyer went on to say “Tim has told me of his plans, of his need to bring in a few players and his aims for next season, and it is clear that his ambitions match mine – I have not joined Gloucester City to spend my time in the Southern League Premier Division, and want to help the club reach a higher level. If we can gain promotion to the Conference South then who knows what else we can achieve”.

Finally, Tim Harris adds “We are in discussions with one or two other quality players, and I hope to be in a position to make further announcements in due course”.


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