Billericay Town Squad Update – 24th January 2025

With a crucial top-of-the-table clash against Dartford on the horizon, there’s plenty of squad news to digest as Billericay Town aim to extend their lead at the top of the Isthmian Premier League. From new signings to injury updates, returning players, and loan reports, here’s the latest from New Lodge.

New Signings

Blues fans were treated to a double announcement yesterday evening as Gary McCann added two more bodies to an already impressive squad.

Elliott Long joins the club on loan from Welling United, with the 24-year-old attacking midfielder bolstering McCann’s forward options. Starting his career at fellow Essex outfit Takeley, Long moved to Wingate & Finchley for the 2022/23 campaign, scoring 10 times in 44 appearances, including a winner at New Lodge.

Long continued to impress last term, firing Wingate to a playoff spot with 22 league goals – including another winning goal against the Blues in December 2023. Earning a move to Welling United, Long has featured 18 times this season and has become a fans’ favourite at Park View Road.

Bradley Williams also arrives on loan, joining from neighbours Chelmsford City until the end of the season. The versatile defender, who is equally comfortable in midfield, made his name at Carshalton Athletic, where he amassed over 130 appearances between 2021 and 2024.

Williams contributed 16 goals and assists for the Robins last season, earning a move to Chelmsford, where he has made 23 appearances in the National League South. With the Blues missing a couple of defensive players, Williams provides valuable cover across multiple positions.

Injuries and Absentees

While McCann’s squad has been boosted with the aforementioned arrivals, the squad is still dealing with a couple of setbacks.

Montel McKenzie remains sidelined following the ankle injury he sustained in the New Year’s Day victory over Hashtag United, and the club announced a 4–6-week recovery period for the popular right-back. Meanwhile, McKenzie is currently featuring on Love Island All Stars in South Africa. While the show is set to conclude in mid-February, his participation could end earlier if he is eliminated before the final.

Centre-back Aron Pollock remains out of action with an ankle injury, with no clear timeline for his return. The defender was due to start in last Tuesday’s Velocity Cup quarter-final victory over Sheppey United but sustained the knock during the warm-up. It marks another frustrating setback for Pollock, who had been aiming to make his comeback after missing the previous two matches with a separate issue. Having managed just six appearances this season, Blues fans will be hoping Pollock can recover swiftly and rejoin the squad in the near future.

Fan-favourite winger Richard Asamoah has suffered a knee injury while on loan at Waltham Abbey. The club announced the news on X on 20th January, stating:

"The Club can announce that Richard Asamoah recently suffered a knee injury on loan at Waltham Abbey. His scan takes place this week for further investigation. We hope all goes well, Richard!"

Asamoah has made nine appearances for Abbey, scoring once and helping in their push into the playoff places in the Isthmian League North. Prior to his loan spell, he featured in just five matches for Billericay this season, following a standout 48-game campaign last year. The severity of the injury and Asamoah's potential recovery timeline remain unclear.

Returning Players

Midfielder Tyrell Miller-Rodney is back in contention for tomorrow’s clash against his former club Dartford, after serving a three-game suspension following his straight red card on New Year’s Day against Hashtag United.

Defender Tom Bender has recently returned from an undisclosed issue that kept him sidelined over the festive period. He played the full 90 minutes in the win against Sheppey and 87 minutes in the victory over Dulwich last weekend. However, Bender required treatment during the latter match and was substituted late on, leaving his availability unclear for the upcoming Dartford game. With 23 appearances this season, the ‘Ricay vice-captain would be a significant loss at the heart of the division's best defence.

Jack Paxman’s return from a metatarsal injury is a huge boost for McCann and his side. The creative midfielder had been sidelined for two months after sustaining the injury on November 5th against Chatham Town. Since his return as a substitute at Horsham two weeks ago, Paxman has started matches against Sheppey and Dulwich, playing 45 and 68 minutes, respectively. The midfielder has made 19 appearances this season, with the team losing just once when he’s been in the starting XI.

Finally, 17-year-old striker Bobby Kelman made his return to action last week after a month and a half on the sidelines following an injury sustained in the Essex Senior Cup defeat to Chelmsford in late November. Kelman marked his comeback with a 10-minute cameo against Sheppey but was not included in the squad for the Dulwich match last weekend.

Loanees In

Arjanit Krasniqi will be looking to end his loan spell on a high before returning to Maidstone United after next week’s clash with Cray Valley Paper Mills. The versatile midfielder has made 15 appearances so far, scoring twice – both from direct free kicks. Having featured in all but one of the games he’s been eligible for, the Kosovan has been a key figure in McCann’s squad during the middle of the season.

Exciting winger Todd Miller’s loan spell has been slightly interrupted by injury, but the Wealdstone loanee has impressed in his nine appearances to date. He scored against Horsham and Hastings United and still has a few weeks left to make an impact on Billericay’s promotion push, with his loan set to expire after the home match against Lewes in mid-February.

Loanees Out

Midfielder Ansu Janneh has rejoined fellow Isthmian Premier League side Hastings United on a 28-day loan, having featured in just two of the last ten outings for Town in all competitions. Janneh has made 24 appearances for the Blues this season, scoring once.

Young midfielder Jayden Robinson has been thriving on loan at Brightlingsea Regent, making a squad-high 35 appearances and scoring three goals. His contributions have been key to Regent's recent rise to 7th in the Isthmian North table. With 16 senior appearances for the Blues and several loan spells last season, Robinson is continuing to gain valuable non-league experience. While he was initially set to return this month, there has been no confirmation yet on whether his loan will be extended or if he will rejoin McCann’s squad.

Goalkeeper Stefan Lamacq is currently playing for Billericay's tenants, Hutton, where he has made 22 appearances at Step 6 this season. Lamacq continues to train with the Blues and is often involved in warm-ups on matchdays. With Hutton sitting third in the table, the keeper is gaining valuable senior experience to complement his three previous appearances for Billericay.