Defensive Trio Re-Sign for Bideford

Pitching In Southern League Division One South club Bideford AFC have announced the retention of three of last season’s defenders for the new campaign.

Ben Gerring, James Mayne and Tyler Yendle have all committed to the Robins for the 2023/24 season.

The experienced 32-year-old Gerring re-joined Bideford in November 2022 after leaving the Robins to re-sign for Vanarama National League South side Weymouth in late September 2022.

An imposing defender, he had re-joined Bideford in July 2022 from National League North side Gloucester City.

He had signed for the Tigers in November 2021 from National League South side Bath City.

He had moved to Bath in June 2021 from National League outfit Woking, where he had been since October 2018 after helping lead his Truro City side to a National League South play-off place during the 2017/18 season.

His performances earned him a move to free-spending Billericay Town during the summer of 2018, but opportunities proved to be limited and by September he was back on loan with his former club.

Following the completion of his latest spell with the Cornish club he settled on a move to help Woking back to the National League via the play-offs in 2019.

Originally with Plymouth Argyle, he had spells with Weymouth, Kettering Town, Cambridge City, Taunton Town and Truro before his first spell with Bideford in the summer of 2013.

He left in January 2014 for Hayes & Yeading United and then returned to the south west with Truro in December 2014.

Margate, Hayes & Yeading again, Torquay United, Truro for a third time and Billericay Town were his next stops before joining Woking.

Mayne is another experienced 36-year-old who signed for his home-town club in 2017 after spending three seasons with former Southern Division One South rivals Barnstaple Town.

He was previously at Ilfracombe Town for six years and prior to that spent five years with Holsworthy.

Yendle is a big, no nonsense centre-back who also signed for Bideford in February 2022 from neighbours Barnstaple.

The 24-year-old had joined Barum in June 2021 from South West Peninsula League Premier Division West outfit Dobwalls.

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