In an article from our Kick-Off pullout, we look ahead to the new Bostik Premier season

Wingate & Finchley want to try and shock the big boys in the Bostik Premier again and make the play-offs according to young winger Reece Beckles-Richards.

The Londoner has been at the Maurice Rebak Stadium for two seasons now and is all set for a third term at Summers Lane.

Keith Rowland’s team were able to reach the play-offs against the odds during the 2016/17 campaign and the Blues want a repeat after finishing a respectable ninth last time out.

“Everyone is ready to go now. We have got to the final stage where everyone wants to kick on and get the season underway,” said Beckles-Richards.

“Once it starts we will see how far we can go, but hopefully we can improve on what we did last time and get around the play-offs like we did two years ago.”

It has been a busy summer for the Blues with the club making a number of signings including a Wingate return for defender Marc Weatherstone.

The centre back moved back after a spell with Dulwich Hamlet where he helped them secure promotion to the National League South last season.

During Weatherstone’s opening stint at Summers Lane, he made 434 appearances and upon his return he will now aim to go past Daniel Nielsen’s club record of 451 since the merger in 1991.

Elsewhere, the Blues chairman Aron Sharpe was able to bring midfielder Chace O’Neill in from former divisional foes Tooting & Mitcham United.

In addition to the listed duo, Wingate have signed David Manu from Bedford Town plus George Craddock (Canvey Island) and Layne Eadie (St Albans City).

Rowland’s squad was also given a boost by the addition of Lewis Putman – a forward from league rival Dorking Wanderers.

Winger Beckles-Richards feels the new recruits will make a big impact at Wingate and help them look to improve on last season.

He added: “We have made some good additions to the squad, so hopefully we can push on.

“We have Chace and George Craddock and they are very good players and that is what we needed – a few more faces in to try and help us this season.”