PLAYER NEWS | Okimo departs club

Wealdstone Football Club can today regretfully announce the departure of club captain Jerome Okimo as the defender wishes to seek regular first team football for the 2022/23 season.

The 34-year old made a total of 271 appearances over two spells at the club, scoring nine times and playing a key part in our last two title-winning promotions.

Jerome first joined the club in 2013, signed by Gordon Bartlett from Chalfont St Peter where he'd made over 300 appearances. Jerome cemented his place in the heart of the Stones defence that romped to the 2013/14 Isthmian Premier League title and earned himself a move to the EFL with Stevenage.

A spell in the National League at Braintree Town followed that before he was reunited with Bartlett in 2017 with the club well consolidated in the National League South.

His consistent performances in the division earned him the captain's armband from then-manager Bobby Wilkinson the following season and, forming a concrete partnership with Connor Stevens at the back got the Stones into the play-off places.

Heartbreak in the play-offs followed with a late defeat to Woking but the skipper was pivotal in delivering the National League South title under the management of Dean Brennan the next season in 2019/20, playing in 32 of 33 league games with 11 clean sheets and earning a spot in the National League South Team of the Season.

The defender had a mammoth season back in the National League, playing in all but five minutes of the Stones first season back in non-league's top division in 32 years and scored in a 5-1 victory over local rivals Barnet.

In his final season at the club the skipper still made a strong contribution, playing 38 times and helping the club to our highest league finish in 35 years.

Jerome leaves here in every sense a club legend and we thank him for his outstanding contribution over both spells at The Vale and he will always be welcomed back.