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Tonbridge manager Steve McKimm believes new signing Rian Bray has the potential to return to the Football League.
Centre-half Bray started his career at Millwall and is keen to make it back to the pro game.
He’s joined Angels after an impressive campaign in National South with Hampton & Richmond, playing 45 games and winning the young player of the year award.
McKimm feels he can help the 20-year-old take the next step.
He said: “Rian’s got to grips with non-league and he wants to push on and get back to the Football League.
“Hopefully we can help him on his journey and he can help us on ours.
“We sell the club well and I think players understand what we’re trying to do.
“We give them an opportunity and a platform to go and play.
“Rian’s a good lad who will fit in well with the other lads and when I met him it was 100% about football.
“He told me about the journey he’s been on and where he wants to get back to.
“He’s played a lot of football for a young lad and his experience in National South will be important for us.
“He ticks the boxes for what we were looking for in a centre-half.
“He lives in Sevenoaks as well, which cuts down his travelling a massive amount, and it’s nice to have a local lad playing for Tonbridge Angels.”
McKimm’s transfer business is more or less done but he’s held back some of his budget should anyone else crop up.
He said: “We’ve got three or four players coming along to pre-season to see if they fit into the squad and there’s a little bit of money left over in case anyone tickles our fancy.
“Others will become available, too, so if it’s not the ones we’ve got coming to training, it could be someone who’s been released from another club.”
Four Tonbridge players - Arthur Lee, Jack Parter, James Folkes and Joe Turner - were named in the Premier Division team of the year at the Bostik League dinner in Brighton on Saturday.
McKimm said: “Maybe I’m being a bit greedy but there were a couple more who could have got in.
“All credit to the boys because there were a lot of outstanding performances and they showed consistency throughout the season.”
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