Wimbledon manager believes additions will add a new dimension
Neal Ardley revealed that persistence paid off in his loan signing of Brennan Dickenson from Championship club Brighton.
The Wimbledon manager had tracked the forward (pictured playing for Brighton's development side) for some time and he believes it is the perfect week to bring him in with Toby Ajala having returned to Bristol City.
Speaking to Dons Player, Neal said: “We tried to get Brennan in a while back and we have had him on our radar for some time. There was another club interested in trying to take him and we have managed to nick in and secure his signature. I spoke to Paul Cook, who had him on loan at Chesterfield, and he spoke highly of Brennan. Simon Bassey has watched him several times too.
“We have also looked at a lot of video footage of him in action and he is what we need. He is very pacy and direct, has a good left foot, and he can also play wide left.”
Neal Ardley added that he expects Brennan, Jesse Darko and Kevin Sainte-Luce to bring a new dimension to Wimbledon’s attack with their pace and dynamism. Striker Paul McCallum has gone back to West Ham early after struggling to shake off an ankle injury and the Wimbledon manager says that he needed new blood with a tough run of games coming up.
“Paul chipped in with vital goals during his time with us, but he was struggling with injuries during the past month,” Neal added. “We also felt that Paul, Jack Midson and Gary Alexander were similar in that they like the ball into their feet and to move off the ball in those situations. We felt that in a lot of games we needed a different option. Now with Jesse, Brennan and Kevin we have a bit more pace and directness if we need it. They are three players who are very dynamic and quick and will complement the squad.”
The new signings were both signed in time to be eligible for tomorrow's match at Dagenham & Redbridge.
Dons Player subscribers can watch the full video interview with Neal Ardley on our premium site.