Fit-again Habergham ready to make his mark with Wealdstone

Sam Habergham is ready to pass on his experience to the rest of this hungry Wealdstone squad as he prepares to made his debut for the Stones.

The left-sided defender has recovered from a hamstring injury and is in the squad to face Eastleigh tomorrow at Silverlake Stadium.

The 30-year-old has played more than 200 games at this level and won the National League with Lincoln City in 2017. He will be a valuable shoulder to lean on for the likes of Mason Barrett, 22, and 18-year-old Deji Elerewe.

"I hope I can help the younger boys," he said. "This is a level I know well – and the level above and the level above that. But the National League is changing all the time and there are now some really big clubs in this division. There are some really big games and I'm looking forward to the challenge with a young team that is full of energy."

Habergham turns 31 in February and says "I still feel young" and that he "still has plenty of years in football left in me".

He brings to the Stones experience from Tamworth, Braintree, Lincoln, Grimsby and, more recently, Australia with Peninsula Power

"I enjoyed my time away, enjoying a different country and a different type of football," said the defender who started his career in the Norwich Academy. "It's good to be back here and hopefully I'll get my career going in England again and show what I'm about."

It was a chat with manager Stuart Maynard that convinced Habergham to join the Stones and he says he is "already really enjoying my time here".

Maynard is pleased to be able call upon Habergham as "with Lewis Kinsella and Jaydn Mundle-Smith, we have a very strong left side".

"Sam can play left sided centre-back, left-back or left wing-back, so he will replace the void left by the departure of Jerome Okimo. He will add that voice and leadership that we've probably lacked for the past two seasons, so he's someone we're delighted to secure and can't wait to see him play."

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• Pictures by Jon Taffel & Darren Campbell