Marc Weatherstone is back at the Maurice Rebak Stadium and looking to increase his tally of 434 appearances

Reece Beckles-Richards has praised the impact of new Wingate & Finchley team-mate Marc Weatherstone.

Weatherstone returned to the Maurice Rebak Stadium this summer after a two-year spell with Dulwich Hamlet.

The centre back won promotion with Hamlets last season, but is back with the Blues again and already making a good impression on his new team-mates.

Looking ahead to the start of the new Bostik Premier campaign, Beckles-Richards said: “Marc is a top player and you can see it when he plays.

“He is big, strong and adds so much to the team and a lot of physical presence as well and it makes it easier for everyone else around him when he plays.”

Wingate will hope the addition of Weatherstone can boost their chances of success in the 2018/19 season.

During the previous campaign, Keith Rowland’s team finished ninth, but were never truly in the hunt for the play-offs.

Although Billericay Town and Dulwich have both left the Bostik Premier following promotion to the National League South, Beckles-Richards doesn’t expect the league to be any weaker.

He added: “I think other teams would have seen what Billericay and Dulwich did last season and maybe thought they can splash a bit more now.

“I still think the league will be as tough as usual and there will be a lot of teams really pushing for promotion.

“Some of the sides with bigger wages have gone up or moved sideways, but maybe other teams will build up their budgets and go for it. We will have to wait and see.”

Beckles-Richards is only 23, but has made over a hundred appearances for the Blues and has no plans on leaving any time soon.

“This will be my third season and I am enjoying it, I always enjoy it at Wingate,” said the winger.

“Aron (Sharpe) has a good set-up and good facilities so you can’t go wrong. I think I have made something like a 100 appearances in two years, so I am getting experience and that is what I needed.

“I wanted to go somewhere and play games and hopefully I can do the same thing again this season.”