CHRISTIAN JOLLEY has called on the man who gave him a career in football to help him get it back on track.
Hampton & Richmond Borough have signed the lively winger as they look to carry on playing the attractive passing game in the National League South which saw them storm to the Ryman Premier title.
Alan Dowson plucked Jolley from obscurity when he was in charge of Kingstonian, discovering a gangly but talented 22-year-old at Surrey Elite League minnows Oxted & District and setting him on his way to stardom.
Jolley was fantastic as both AFC Wimbledon and Newport County won promotion to the Football League but since firing the Exiles up at Wembley in 2013, his game has been stuck in second gear.
Loaned to Forest Green and then Grimsby, he couldn't replicate what he did with the Dons or with County back in the Conference.
Signing for Margate last summer, the club struggled to realise expectations and his form again suffered.
Spark
He sees a reunion with Dowson and sidekick Martin Tyler as the perfect excuse to start firing once again. The 28-year-old said: “If Dowse and Martin can't give me a new lease of life and get my game back, then who can?
“They recognised something in me a few years ago and gave me a chance and gave me belief. I didn't think I could make it as a pro, but they did. They set me on my way, and the plan is for them both to get me back enjoying football so I can start putting performances together again.
“Everyone knows I've lost that glimmer, a bit of spark I suppose. I hit a level of performance that people expected to see week in, week out and it didn't happen. I hope Dowse still has the tools because I think this could be a really good move for me.”
And don't expect Hampton to just be fighting to stay in the league they've just entered.
Passionate
Jolley, who became the club's second summer signing after the Beavers snared goalkeeper Aaron Howe from Basingstoke, saw for himself last year that the smaller and less well funded clubs can prosper.
“If you know the manager you will know he wouldn't ever go into any league just to make up the numbers,” Jolley said.
“I know enough about this league to say that any team with a work ethic, a club who has passionate players, are going to do alright. It's not always about the money involved. Margate last year spent big but the team only just stayed in the league.
“I'm excited about what's ahead. Any team who won the Ryman Premier like Hampton did have something about them, so the challenge is there to make the team be noticed in the higher division.”
