Page 28 - Yate Town FC Salisbury 200822

In Town today

DEVON ARNOLD (Forward) – Signed from Stoke City U 23’S in September 2021. Local lad
who started his career playing in the local youth leagues including playing for Salisbury F.C
Youth U 12’S & U 13’S before joining the Elite Training Centre in Southampton. Devon joined
Yeovil Town Academy from the Elite Training Centre in November 2016 and was offered a
youth scholarship deal to remain with the Academy in December 2017. On 1 January 2019,
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he made his debut for Yeovil Town in the EFL League 2 as a late substitute in their 4–1 defeat
against Cheltenham Town, at the age of just 17 years and 38 days he broke the record for
the youngest Yeovil Town player in the English Football League. Devon was sent out on loan
to Dorchester Town to gain match experience in the 2019 – 20 season and released by Yeovil
Town at the end of the 2019–20 season when his youth scholarship expired. Following his
release, he spent time on trial with Manchester United U 23’S, Chelsea U 23’S, Peterborough
United U 23’S and Stoke City U 23’S. Devon went out on loan to Bemerton Heath Harlequins
during the 2021 – 202 season to get game time. He has great pace, works hard, lethal in
front of goal and a great young prospect for the future.
SAM ASHTON (Forward) – Signed from Husum Boldklub F.C in August 2021. He progressed
through AFC Bournemouth Academy and on his release in the summer of 2014 at the age
of 16, Sam joined Havant & Waterlooville. During his 2 years there, he played both in the
youth team and first team. In the summer of 2016, Sam moved to United States of America
to play College Football and had a successful time. Upon his return to England, Sam signed
for Gosport Borough in the summer of 2020. When the 2020 – 2021 season was annulled,
he went to play Husum Boldklub F.C who plays in the Danish League. Sam has great pace,
an eye for goal and a great young prospect for the future.
BRANDON GOODSHIP (Forward) – Signed from Weymouth in June 2022. He progressed
through AFC Bournemouth Academy from the age of 12 and signed a professional contract
after completing his two-year scholarship. During his time at AFC Bournemouth, he had loan
spells at Blackfield & Langley, Dorchester Town, Hayes & Yeading, Yeovil Town & Braintree
Town. In January 2017, he left AFC Bournemouth by mutual consent and joined Yeovil Town
until the end of the season. In the summer of 2017, Brandon joined Weymouth F.C and spent
2 seasons with them and during this time played for England C scoring 1 goal and scored 77
goals for Weymouth. In June 2019, he left Weymouth and signed for Southend United on a
2-year contract. On his release in June 21, Brandon re-joined Weymouth F.C He has great
pace, works hard, lethal in front of goal .and a great acquisition for Salisbury FC.
BENJAMIN THOMSONP (Forward) – Signed from Weymouth in June 2022. Benjamin
started his career at Gillingham Town and went on to play for Frome Town. He left Frome
Town in the summer of 2015 and joined Weymouth F.C where he had a very successful seven
seasons with them. Benjamin has excellent footballing skills, proven goal scoring instincts
and a great passion for the game.
MANAGEMENT TEAM.
STEVE CLARIDGE (Manager /Director) – Steve is a former Football League player whose
last playing action was for semi-pro Gosport Borough in 2011/12 He was a pundit for BBC
Sport football shows including Football Focus and the Football League Show until recently
when he became both Manager and a Director of Salisbury FC. He is a coach and still also
features regularly as a pundit on radio and TV. He began his career with non-league
Fareham Town in 1983, and after failing to gain a permanent contract at AFC Bournemouth
spent three years at Weymouth - his longest single spell with any club. From 1988 until1996
he played for a number of Football League teams before moving to Leicester where he was
also Player Manager in 2000/01. After a spell with Millwall, he dropped down to the Southern
Premier League to work as Player Manager at Weymouth. After this ended in 2004, Steve
played for ten different clubs in a variety of leagues, never spending more than a season
with any one team. He has played at all levels of English football and has also appeared in
at least 1000 professional or semi-professional football matches. After formally retiring from
football in 2007, he moved into media work for the BBC where his experience of the Football
League has been used to position him as an expert at that level, though he works across a