INTERVIEW - BAPTISTE: "I'm just getting started"

STONES' gloveman Dante Baptiste says "there's so much more to come" from his performances - despite enjoying the best run of consecutive club appearances in what's been an injury-hit career so far.

Still only 23 years old, young by goalkeeping standards, the former Watford academy scholar was pitched into the cut & thrust of a relegation six-pointer against Boston United at The Vale back in April, and he hasn't looked back since.

"I'm fit and firing now but it's been a tough two years to get to anywhere near this point" said Baptiste, whose performances this campaign have very much cemented him as Wealdstone's number one No. 1.

"But I'm just getting started. There's so much more to come from me. I've got to just my head down now and keep grafting."

It was case of post-Pilgrims progress for the keeper, who saw the Boston call to arms as a bit of a sink-or-swim moment.

Baptiste explained: "Gibbo (Neil Gibson, then Wealdstone manager) rang me as I was driving in for the game, and I thought to myself this is a bit strange.

"He just said "You're playing...are you ready?" and I said "Yes!". I thought to myself it's now or never, sink or swim."

Surgery whilst without a club during late summer 2024 - after four similar injuries to the same shoulder - meant Baptiste's Stones involvement in early 2025 was purely on a non-contract training basis initially, but he ended up joining a phalanx of other names to don the first-team goalie's jersey during last term.

It was a massive game and a massive clean sheet that night. "And it proved a massive moment for me," smiled Baptiste, who first damaged the shoulder during the last league game of season 2022/23 while on loan at Chesham United.

"I tore a muscle in my groin just as the next season started (summer 2023) and was out for four months. And, just after I'd got going again, that's when I did my shoulder for the first time.

"So I've had a tough time over the last couple of years. Now it's as simple as me as wanting to play as many games as possible and see where this season takes me."

Stones' fans, noted for their vocal clarity in delivering a review of players' performances, didn't immediately take to Baptiste. In fairness, they'd hardly seen him feature since his first arrival in 2022.

"I don't know who would have been more nervous those first few games when I got brought back into the team last season - me or them. And I don't blame them!" he smiled.

"I'd not had any kind of run so there were always going to be doubts. But as much as I felt that nervousness, I also felt the fans getting right behind me after I'd had a few good games."

And now the Wealdstone faithful have their own song for the Stones' stopper, getting louder with each passing week as Baptiste continues to earn himself a growing reputation among Enterprise National League watchers.

"I really appreciate the fans getting behind me now and, like I said, it was totally reasonable not to trust me early on.

"But the support now that I get personally from behind the goal, and that the team gets in general, is probably reflective of how good a season we've had as a team so far."

Albeit with a sprinkling of experience, Sam Cox's squad welcome that support as young as most are.

Added the league ever-present Baptiste: "The team is quite young, but the older guys have great advice - and the way they are about helping makes it easy to approach them.

"You spend a lot of time together, like families do, and sometimes get on each other's nerves, but it's a really tight group of players.

"We've got every reason to be positive about the second half of the season, but our rewards are only going to come through a lot more hard work and togetherness."

Dante and the rest of the Stones return to Enterpirse National League action tonight when they take on Truro City away in Cornwall. You can join us at Grosvenor Vale from 7pm to watch the game on our big screens!