PRE-SEASON
01 August 1998
TRANSFERS
I guess we hadn't thought through the effects of the Bosman ruling. The summer started with the shock departure of Snapper to Hereford. He wanted Conference football, we couldn't give it to him so he left. I think it was difficult for him, and it sure was for us.
Stuart Evans also left for Hereford, Jason Owen 's gone to Stafford, and Evran gone for his summer holidays to Worcester - we're expecting him back any day now. Kevin Harrison 's arthritic knee has meant he's had to call it a day, and Sharpey has been released.
Luckily, Stewart has been busy getting in some replacements. Tim Langford is back from Telford, and Neil Smith , ex-Rushden but actually from Halesowen has also signed. Two more from Bromsgrove have arrived - Mark Peters , a midfielder and Rob Elmes , a defender. Finally, we've signed Simon Black , a forward who used to play with Pie-arce at Doncaster before he got glandular fever.
We started with our traditional opener against the Albion. After we beat them a few years ago, they usually put a decent team out now, and we lost 4-0. Next was a 2-1 win at Oldbury, then 0-0 draws in Andy Bradley's testimonial against old rivals Hednesford and against Sandwell Borough. An excellent 1-0 stuffing of Stourbridge, a 3-1 win over Stourport and a 2-0 loss against Blakenall completed the warm-up.