Football: British imports hope to push side to promotion

Tauranga City's new players, from left, Andy Cooper, Adam Roach, and Jerahl Hughes. Photo/Andrew Warner

Two childhood mates who learned to play the beautiful game growing up together in the English town of Brighton are hoping to drive Tauranga City to promotion this year.

Sam O'Regan, 25, and new import Jerahl Hughes, 24, are reunited again thanks to some serious prompting from O'Regan to get his old mate to come and join him at the Mount Maunganui-based club.

O'Regan, in his second year with City, rates Hughes as a highly-effective right wing with loads of pace, who just loves to take players on.

"It is like another outlet with him as we don't have to be so direct. We have a good player out wide now who can beat players and try something different," O'Regan said.

"Last year we became a little bit reliant on Jack [McNab] and his goals. For the rest of the 10 players in our team we need to try something different and we have Jerahl, but we have also recruited Andy Cooper as well [from Old Blues].

"He is a similar player, with loads of pace, which is something we were not really blessed with last year."

Hughes is a product of the acclaimed youth academy at London club Crystal Palace, signing for them aged 11, and he played a major role in their run in the FA Youth Cup in 2007. He then joined Championship club Yeovil Town on a pro contract and says he learned a lot travelling with the first team to some famous stadiums.

Now there's a new challenge at Tauranga City.

"Sam told me only good things about this place and I wanted to be involved, so it wasn't a hard decision to make," Hughes said. "I have trained with the team and there are a few good players here, so I am excited for the season to start and to do well in the league. I am here for a good 10 months and then we will see what happens."

Durable midfielder Adam Roach is another new signing, who joins City from coach Duncan Lowry's old club Matamata Swifts.

"He is a physical player and is so dedicated," O'Regan said. "When we do our sprints he comes first, when we do our cross-fit stuff you can tell he is a beast. He is just so powerful and should sit nicely in our midfield."

Talk to anyone involved with Tauranga City and the only goal on everyone's mind is to win promotion up to Northern Division 1 this year. O'Regan says they have a great chance of achieving that in 2014.

"Nothing else will do. I think we have worked too hard. There are three teams going up now, and the strongest teams Western Springs and Mangere have left our league, so it is a perfect opportunity.

"All we had to do was strengthen a little bit with two or three better players and I think we have got that, so I don't see why we can't go and win the league."

City has gained a top-class goalkeeper in Andy Gorrie. The 25-year-old has missed the last two seasons recovering from a back injury but had successful spells with Kapiti Coast United in Wellington and also in Brisbane.

In other club news, long-standing club servant Tony Pill takes over as club president from Ron Boyle, who was in the hot seat for 20 years.

"The first team getting promoted is a major goal for this year and also the development of the youth through the grades," Pill said. "Development is what the club is all about as we need this steady movement of players coming through.

"Getting more sponsorship on board is another thing and we have some new blood on the committee in Chris Markie and Martin Smith."