Wairarapa United snare top player

Their history-making Chatham Cup success of last season has already reaped one major benefit for the Wairarapa United Central League football squad.

A former member of English club Norwich City's youth side who has also played in Spain and Australia, George Jermy, inquired as to whether there could be a place for him in the Wairarapa United line-up for 2012 after learning of that victory and, not surprisingly, his services have been snapped up.

A midfielder also capable of playing at striker, the 23-year-old Jermy is unlikely to be the only newcomer in the Wairarapa United side with at least two other high-profile players, both Kiwis, understood to be joining them as well.

On the other side of the coin is the prospect of two members of the Chatham Cup-winning team, defenders Scott Robson and James Oxtoby, not being available, Robson because of his commitments in the New South Wales state league and Oxtoby for personal reasons.

The retirement of club president Phil Keinzley from the role of premier team coach has been deferred for at least one more season with efforts to find a suitable replacement at a cost within the club's budget being unsuccessful.

Keinzley said there had been "some interest" in the coaching position but they would have meant paying out upwards of $50,000 and Wairarapa United's finances did not stretch that far.

"The sponsorship dollars just don't seem to be there anymore, it's a real struggle just to keep things going nowadays," he said.

So constrained are their finances in fact that Wairarapa United are going to the community asking for donations of $100 minimum to help ease the burden of growing costs. Keinzley said that move was made after it was suggested to him by people who were only too happy to help out.

"We are very grateful for the way the province as a whole has got behind us, the Chatham Cup win has been amazing in that respect."

Pleasing too for Keinzley is the knowledge that in Carterton's Carrington Park Wairarapa United will have a home venue where they will be able to create their very own "House of Pain".

"The more negative we can make the mindset of opposing teams coming to Carterton the better for us," he said, saying that his side's growing number of supporters would very definitely be up for that challenge.