TT BLOG

Chris Wade – @tufcchris

Chris discusses Sam Dreyer

With the close season now four weeks old, June having begun, my birthday getting close and the nights as long as you’ll get, the hunger for football is coming back. 4 weeks without a game feels odd given the intensity of the National League South schedule, but let’s be honest, our emotions and hearts needed a break, didn’t they?! But now that contracts are expiring, holidays have been had and squads are being assembled, the excitement is coming back.

The permanent signings of Nash Sundire and Louis Dennis have started to get the juices going again, and those incoming videos always bring a smile don’t they? We all keep an eye on various social media platforms witing for the next bit of news, and we had that on Friday afternoon. And it included an excellent Alan Partridge reference. AN EXTENDER!!

So, when the news came at 1600 that Sam Dreyer had extended by a further 12 months to the end of the 26-27 signing, you can be forgiven for reacting in a more excited way that a new signing. New additions have the excitement of the unknown. Look at their career, they should be good, how have we got him? But an extension of a player that you know can almost go under the radar and with less excitement.

But not here. Plucked from Peterborough last summer, Dreyer turned into one of the stand out players in the league. From somebody that had been a bit part player at Hampton, it was clear from the first time that I saw him that we had somebody special, and not just his glorious flowing hair. Tall, strong, good in the air, confident on the ball, it became clear that he was also a leader for one so young. Quickly installed as vice-captain by Paul Wotton, he showed the kind of leadership that had been badly missing the year before. Vocal and physical, he was 7 or 8 out of 10 week in and week out and was a similar player to his father John, who you will know if you are in your 40s like me.

What I embraced was how much he cared. You could see he got it. The club, the fans, the atmosphere, the importance of promotion. His interviews were strong, reflective but always looking forward. He is an impressive young man make no mistake.

So, the ultimate heartbreaking end will have hit him hard as it did us all. But he will get that we have our club back, that he is part of that. Another two years of him? Yes please.

Let’s not kid ourselves. If a cash offer comes in for him that the club and he like, he will be off. And with our best wishes. The signing of a new contract is a strong message to the rest of the league. This summer will be different to last. It’s tweaks and making us stronger and not a whole new refit. The cementing of out leader at the back is a great start.