SQUAD UPDATE FROM MANAGER LEE

Bristol Manor Farm Football Club has seen three players depart the club this week in pursuit of regular first-team football opportunities, and speaking with the media ahead of Saturday’s trip to Wimborne, Manager Lee Lashenko has provided the following squad update.

The first player to depart was Alife Cummings, who has joined Nailsea & Tickenham on dual registration to gain match fitness and form in the Western Premier Division. Manager Lee Lashenko spoke about Cummings’ departure, emphasising the player’s potential.

“Alife is a proper football man, and we had a very honest but positive chat this week regarding his playing time. In my eyes, Alfie can play a big part here at Bristol Manor Farm, but after he spent some time away at the start of the season, he’s having to be patient for his chance. With the likes of Evander Grubb, Ben Bament, Jayden Nielsen, and Owen Brain ahead of him at this moment in time, now is the perfect time for him to play first-team football elsewhere. We will closely monitor Alfie’s development and wish him well during his time at The Swags.”

Additionally, Bevan Cross has also departed the club in search of first-team opportunities in the Southern League. Lashenko praised Cross’s attitude and acknowledged the player’s connections with the Chippenham Town Academy and other clubs in the Wiltshire area.

“In Bevan’s case, he is someone who came to the club in the summer with high regard. His attitude is absolutely fantastic, and although we would like to keep him here as an option, he is still very much governed by the Chippenham Town Academy, which has close links to Westbury United and other clubs in the Wiltshire area. This is not to say that the club will not revisit our situation with Bevan in the future, but we can understand his reasonings for pursuing first-team football elsewhere at this moment in time.”

Goalkeeper Frankie Phillips is the third player to leave Bristol Manor Farm FC this week. Lashenko commented on Phillips’s departure and his potential for the future.

“I first saw Frankie play for Chilcompton Sports in the Somerset Cup, and while it’s clear to see that there is potential to play higher, he needs to work on developing into a man – starting with investing in an alarm clock. The football club has invested a lot of time and resources into Frankie, and a decision has been made for Frankie to focus on becoming the first-choice option at Welton Rovers. Like Bevan, this isn’t to say that we won’t reassess this in the future. But until then, there’s plenty of work for him to do.”

Manager Lee Lashenko has also been active in securing replacements for the departing players and is making significant progress in bolstering the squad. The club expects to make official announcements regarding new signings in the coming days as they continue their journey in the football season.

Scroll to Top