United boss: We tried to keep strike duo

Darren Hare insists that Hastings United Football Club did try to retain strikers Zac Attwood and Billy Medlock.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Jul 2016, 10:42 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 23:28 BST

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Billy Medlock celebrates scoring for Hastings United against East Grinstead Town last season. Picture courtesy Scott WhiteBilly Medlock celebrates scoring for Hastings United against East Grinstead Town last season. Picture courtesy Scott White
Billy Medlock celebrates scoring for Hastings United against East Grinstead Town last season. Picture courtesy Scott White

It was announced last week that Attwood is joining Crowborough Athletic for the 2016/17 campaign and United manager Hare confirmed yesterday (Tuesday) that Medlock is also moving on.

He said: “We made an offer to Zac and Billy. I think they’re excellent players, but Zac felt like he needed a fresh challenge away from Hastings, and with Billy we were quite a far distance from him (in terms of agreeing a deal) and unfortunately we couldn’t come together.

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“We had to move on and so did he - that’s what football’s about sometimes; you win some deals and you lose some. We couldn’t quite get to where he wanted us to get to and I’ve got a budget to stick to.

“We did make Billy an offer, but he’s a good player and he’s a free agent. I don’t know where he’s going to end up, but I wish him all the best.”

After joining United from St Albans City last September, Medlock scored 28 goals in 40 appearances during the 2015/16 campaign - the best return in a season by a Hastings player since Terry White in 1999/2000.

He also became only the second Hastings player since the 1960s to score five goals in a game, during the 6-0 thrashing of Peacehaven & Telscombe on Easter Monday. Medlock’s prolific season ended prematurely, however, as he suffered a ruptured ankle ligament against Molesey on April 9.

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Attwood and Medlock join Sam Adams and Sean Ray in having left the club this summer, but Sam Cole, Sam Cruttwell, Richard Davies, Simon Johnson, Ollie Rowe and Jerome Smith are staying up.

Hare has already brought in midfielder Matt Bodkin, forward Frannie Collin and defender/assistant manager Steve Watt, and hopes to confirm at least two more new recruits over the coming days.

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Related topics:BillyHastings