Soccer: Reserve keeper the next goal

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The search is now on for a second goalkeeper at the Football Kingz now that All White James Bannatyne has signed with the club.

Bannatyne played at times last season until sidelined with a broken leg, but is now poised to take the top spot following confirmation that last season's first choice, Michael Theoklitos, has signed with England club Blackpool on a one-year contract.

"We couldn't do anything until we heard what was happening at Blackpool," Kingz chief executive Chris Turner said yesterday.

It would now be up to new coach Ken Dugdale and his assistant, Stu Jacobs, to find a second keeper.

"Clearly, we do not want to go into the season without proper cover."

Last season the club had Simon Eaddy as second goalkeeper on a match-by-match arrangement, but Turner ruled out any repeat of that system.

Turner also confirmed that Napier and All Whites defender Jonathan Taylor has signed, as have Kingz incumbents Jonathan Perry, Chris Jackson and Jeff Campbell.

They join the already-signed Mark Atkinson, Andy Vlahos, Mark Burton, Hiroshi Miyazawa and Mark Beldham as players on the Kingz books.

All but Burton, who has two years of his three-year contract to play, have signed one-year contracts.

A number of other players are on trial with the club. They include All White Raf de Gregorio, Sean Fallon, Darren Young, Mike McKinley (a former Miramar and more recently Gisborne City defender), Paul Dempsey (who played for Northampton Town before a brief flirtation with North Shore United) and Glenfield's Dean Dodds.

Dugdale, who returned to New Zealand on Saturday, will hold a media conference tomorrow. Turner hopes that by then one or two more players will be confirmed.