Sidmouth Town sign Ethan Slater to replace departed Ash Small

Sidmouth Town striker Ash Small has made the move to another South West Peninsula League Eastern Division side, swapping allegiances to join former Town boss Josh Stunell at Axminster Town.

Speaking of the departure, Town joint boss Kev Tooze says: “He [Small] goes with our blessing in as much as, of course we are disappointed to lose a lad of such talent, but he has served us well and we all wish him the very best – except, of course, when he comes up against us!

“The thing I have constantly said is that life is too short for us to lose sleep over players wanting away. No single player or individual is ever bigger than the football club and, if a player thinks the grass is greener on the other side then who are we to disagree.

“Far better that you thank the player for his service to your club, and, in this case, Ash has indeed done us proud, and will always be welcomed back at some future stage if things don’t work out, but he has gone now and we move on.”

That ‘moving on’ has already been completed in terms of the Town side of things with the signing of Ethan Slater from Budleigh Salterton.

Tooze says: “Ethan comes with a good pedigree having been schooled through the Exeter City Academy and he has been doing well at Budleigh this season. Personally, I have not seen the lad play at any length, but Danny [joint boss Danny Burwood] has, and he speaks very highly of him, so I am looking forward to seeing Ethan in a Town shirt.”

If the game goes ahead at Appledore on Saturday then Slater will be set to make his Town debut.