Keeper agrees to new long-term deal

GOALKEEPER Jake Weaver has signed a new 18-month deal with Stratford Town and hopes his experience can help the Bards push for promotion to National League North.

The 27-year-old arrived earlier this season from Rushall Olympic having helped them win promotion from Southern League Premier Central and now he is keen on a repeat performance.

He has kept five clean sheets in the 12 games he has played since joining the Arden Garages Stadium side with two of those coming in the last two games and according to Weaver, much of that is those in front of him.

He said: “As a keeper, you need to build partnerships throughout the team and Paul McCone and Chris Hussey are two solid characters who have welcomed me into the club and that rapport has been reflected in the clean sheets.”

Weaver started out as a youngster with Birmingham City before making the move to Leamington and subsequently Rushall.

“I had two good seasons at Rushall,” he added. “Firstly we were promoted which was a great achievement and I was fortunate to help get the club up over the line. Then the following season it was about staying up. It was a great achievement going up but then to stay up was equally as good playing against some massive clubs. It is something I’m keen to replicate at Stratford, to get the club up and be part of the project to take the club forward.”