Ex-Premiership Striker Set for Poachers

Ian Dunn, joint-manager of ChromaSport & Trophies United Counties League Premier Division club Boston Town, revealed....

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Published 28th June 2012

Julian Joachim

......a swoop for Julian Joachim was likely after confirming the former Premier League ace will join the Poachers for pre-season training.

Joachim is set to link up with Town next week when he will hold talks with new joint-bosses Dunn and Matt Hocking. The latter is a former team-mate of Joachim’s at Boston United.

Joachim rejoined the Pilgrims for a second spell twelve months ago, but left early in the season and signed for Coalville Town.

But the former Kitwood Boys pupil is eager to join up with Town ahead of the new season, which begins in August.

“He’s a former team-mate of Matt’s and he’s very keen to get involved,” said Dunn.

“He’s going to train with us and we’re going to have a chat with him.

“We’ll see how that goes, but the likelihood is that we will sign him.

“He sounds very keen and it would be great to have someone of his quality on board.

“He’s got family around here too so it makes sense.”

Meanwhile, Dunn sees no reason why the Poachers cannot compete with the UCL’s big spenders next season.

Dunn and Hocking have been set the target of improving on last season’s fourteenth place in the UCL Premier Division.

However, Dunn believes the Tattershall Road outfit can challenge for a top-six spot.

That is despite coming up against wealthier clubs boasting a string of ex-professionals.

Near neighbours Spalding United are the latest side to have splashed the cash, having recruited former Pilgrims player-boss Lee Canoville among several others.

But Dunn insists he and Hocking will not be daunted by the size of their rivals’ bank balances.

“Every club should go into a season with the intention of winning the league – and we’re no different,” said Dunn, who guided Pinchbeck United to a Peterborough League and Cup double last season.

“Obviously with teams like Spalding it’s going to be difficult to win the league.

“The board have set us the target of improving on last season, which we certainly feel we can do.

“We’d like to think we can be up there challenging for the top six.

“There are no reasons why we can’t compete with those big spending sides.

“Our budget is not massive, but it’s decent and we should be able to put a strong squad together.

“Some sides may have ex-Football League players, but whoever they are, this is a hard league and it’s not just a case of turning up to take three points.

“We’re not naive and we don’t expect to go through the season without losing games.”

“But whether we win, lose or draw, we must let the other side know they’ve been in a game. We don’t want to be one of those sides that folds when the going gets tough.”

Improving Town’s record at Tattershall Road is one of the Dunn and Hocking’s top priorities.

The Poachers won just five league games at home last season, compared to eight on their travels.

“The home record was really poor last season and that’s something we must improve on,” added Dunn, a former Poachers` striker.

“We need to make Tattershall Road a hard place to visit. Winning more games at home will create a better atmosphere at the club and entice more fans to come through the gate, which in turn will help our budget, as will a good run in the cups.”

Dunn and Hocking were manager and captain respectively at Pinchbeck last season.

But the former insists he is happy to make the transition to joint-boss.

[Source: Lincolnshire Echo]