Four More Title-Winners Re-Sign for Stamford

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central newcomers Stamford AFC have announced that Billy Bennett, Will Mellors-Blair, Marshall Willock and Stacey Freeman have all become the latest to agree new deals with the club for the 2023/24 campaign.

Defender Bennett started out at Burton Albion`s academy before joining Boston United briefly and the Carlton Town.

He went on to play for Dunkirk, Basford United and Leicester Road.

A versatile player, happy at full back or in midfield, he joined Ilkeston Town in 2020 before switching to Stamford in early October 2022.

Mellors-Blair is a 21-year-old forward who signed for the Daniels in the summer of 2022.

He started his career at Manchester United and then spent three years in the USA with Detroit City.

He has also played for Walsall, Solihull Moors and King’s Lynn Town.

Willock, 23, re-joined the Daniels in November 2022 after leaving for then-Southern Premier Division Central side Ilkeston Town in May 2022.

The centre-back had originally joined the Daniels in February 2022 from Stourbridge.

He had only been with the Glassboys since December 2021 after arriving from rivals Redditch United, where he had been since August 2021.

He had joined league rivals Peterborough Sports in July 2019 and then moved to Wisbech Town in early January 2020.

In July 2020 he moved to Finnish side Kemi City before returning to England to sign for the Reds.

The Montserrat-born defender spent the majority of the 2018/19 season with National League side Solihull Moors.

He was a product of the Moors academy having been released from a similar position at Walsall.

He had earlier trialled with Birmingham City and Scunthorpe United and turned down a trial at Grimsby Town to stay with Moors.

He signed a two-year contract with Chesterfield at the start of the 2017/18 season but went out on loan at Kettering Town to enhance his development. After returning to the Spireites he then spent the remainder of the season with Northern Premier League Premier Division outfit Matlock Town.

The 6`4” defender has represented Montserrat at international level, winning his first cap when he came on as a sub against El Salvador in November 2019.

Freeman is a 30-year-old defender who joined Stamford in July 2021.

He had signed for Isthmian South East side Whitehawk from Isthmian Premier neighbours Lewes in February 2020.

The son of former Rooks` boss Darren Freeman, he featured 16 times for Lewes in all competitions in 2019/20 and featured 39 times for them in the 2018/19 season after missing the entire 2017/18 season through injury.

He followed his father to the Dripping Pan in 2015 having previously played for Peacehaven & Telscombe, Worthing and Eastbourne Borough.

He also starred in E4`s reality TV show `Shipwrecked`!