The Club are delighted to announce the arrival of Evans Kouassi, as the first summer addition to Garry Kimble’s squad. Evans originally joined the Gulls back in 2020 from Heybridge Swifts but left the Island in 2024 after accumulating an immense 65 goals from 125 appearances.

The talented forward needs no introduction at Park Lane as the Ivorian netted 31 goals in forty-seven appearances during the 2021/22 to help the Gulls secure promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division via the play-offs. The following season Evans scored another 24 from forty-seven games to help secure the Gulls a spot in the Isthmian Premier Division play-offs.

During his four year spell at the club Evans secured top-goal scorer twice and was also voted Supporter’s Player of the Season twice. Evans most previously was making appearances for Dartford where he came off the bench on five occasions and made one start. Before his move to The Darts, Evans was with Hashtag United where he scored 15 goals and grabbed 12 assists which saw him win top-goal scorer and most assists for the Tags in the 2025/26 season.

David Hughes arrives on the Island.

Keeper David Hughes was with Walthamstow last season, picking up our Mitre Golden Gloves Award in December. He played forty-four times for the East Londoners.

He made forty-five appearances during the 23/24 season as Bowers won promotion via the Play Offs, after moving to the Len Salmon from AFC Sudbury, where he played thirty-four times, with fifteen clean sheets, as his side clinched promotion, via the Play Offs- in 22/23.

David already knew what it felt to win North Division promotion, as he was between the sticks when Aveley triumphed the season before, when he kept eighteen clean sheets. He was also an enormous part of the Millers run to the Quarter Finals of the FA Trophy during the pandemic hit 2019/20 campaign, and had been a critical part of their squad for five seasons before his departure. He was previously with Harlow Town, Thurrock and Enfield Town.

George Scales arrives at Park Lane.

Defender George Scales makes a move from Bowers and Pitsea. George played for Bowers at Under 14 and Under 15 level before being snapped up by Cambridge United. He left United in the summer of 2024, moving on to Basildon United, where he made twenty appearances before heading back to the Len Salmon in January 2025. He played thirty-seven times last season, after seventeen appearances in our top flight in the second half of the 24/25 campaign.

Jack Cawley arrives on the Island.

Jack Cawley ended last season at Maldon and Tiptree, the defender playing forty-two times as the Jammers took the Pitching In Isthmian North title. That followed eleven appearances in the closing stages of the 24/25 campaign, after he moved to Essex from Chesham United.

He'd been with Chesham only a few months, after a short time with AFC Sudbury, and prior to that spent some time in Australia, playing in Perth, and had a spell in New Zealand with Wellington.

Back on home turf he turned out for Maidstone United, Braintree Town, Bromley, Wealdstone, Concord Rangers, had an earlier spell with the Jammers, and also played for their local rivals, Heybridge Swifts.

Jamie Salmon returns to the Island.

Jamie joined the Gulls mid-pandemic, in the summer of 2020. He immediately played a big part as the Gulls reached the Second Round of the FA Cup, making a dozen appearances, and followed that with thirty-nine appearances as Canvey won North Division promotion during 21/22. He played forty-nine times as Canvey made a fine Premier debut, reaching the Play Off Semi-Finals, and followed that with forty-six appearances during 23/24 and another thirty-four during the 24/25 season, before moving to Bowers & Pitsea for 25/26. He made thirty-five appearances last season, and scored eleven goals.

Jamie originally moved to Canvey after gracing the midfield for Hullbridge Sports, where he played thirty-one times during the unfinished 19/20 season. He previously played for Bowers in two spells, being part of the side which earned promotion from the Essex Senior League and part of the squad which reached the North Division Playoffs in 2017/18, with a short spell at Saffron Walden Town in between. He has also played for Great Wakering Rovers and Catholic United.

Archie McFadden arrives at Park Lane.

The midfielder previously played under Gary Kimble at Witham Town, and made thirty appearances for Witham last season, scoring three goals, before moving on to Hullbridge Sports. That followed forty-seven appearances during 24/25, and nineteen during 23/24.

He previously made appearances for Great Wakering Rovers, and he played National League South football with Concord Rangers, and has also spent time with Heybridge Swifts.

Ali Njie arrives on the Island.

Defender, Ali was at Cambridge City last season, playing thirty-nine times, more than anyone else at the club, and scoring two goals. He spent 24/25 with Walthamstow, where he made forty two appearances, and helped out at the other end by scoring five goals. That followed nineteen appearances in the closing stages of 23/24.

He moved to Stow from Potters Bar Town, and prior to his time at the Lantern Stadium played for Welwyn Garden City, Wingate & Finchley, Heybridge Swifts, Wealdstone and Lewes. He spent time with Blackpool as a youth.

Ernest Okoh returns to Park Lane.

Ernest played thirty-eight times for Witham Town last season, coming in from the wing to score eight goals. He spent time with Enfield during 24/25, and also played for Woodford Town. He also made appearances for Brightlingsea Regent, Great Wakering Rovers, Stanway Rovers, Coggeshall Town, Basildon United, Maldon & Tiptree, Brentwood Town, Romford, Faversham Town, Waltham Abbey, Barking and Hayes & Yeading United.

Rasheed Salau arrives on the Island.

Rasheed Salau played forty-one times for Walthamstow last season, the midfielder scoring six goals. That followed twenty-eight appearances and two goals during 24/25. He was previously at Ipswich Wanderers and Haringey Borough, and played for Witham Town during the second half of the 22/23 campaign and the first half of the 23/24 season.

Louie Arrowsmith returns to the Island.

Full back Louie Arrowsmith was previously at the Gulls, where he made thirty-eight appearances during 23/24 before a move to Maldon & Tiptree. He made thirty-nine appearances during his first season with the Jammers, and followed that with thirty-three more as they won the Isthmian North title last season.

He originally arrived at Canvey from Southend United, although he spent most of the 22/23 season with Heybridge Swifts, joining them on loan in October 2022 and going on to play thirty-three times as they reached the Isthmian North Play Off Final. However, that wasn't Louie's first Isthmian North spell, he spent time during the 21/22 season at Great Wakering Rovers, making six appearances and scoring two goals.

Mitchell May arrives on the Island.

Mitchell May ended last season with Sittingbourne, his eleven appearances bringing four goals. He left the Brickies for Ramsgate in the summer of 2025, and scored twelve goals in thirty-three appearances in the Isthmian Premier Division.

The Brickies, were the Rams closest rivals for the Pitching In Isthmian South East title during the 24/25 season, and Mitchell played a big part in their success, scoring thirty-one goals in fifty-one matches and testing himself successfully against higher division sides in Sittingbourne’s FA Trophy run. He scored in victories over Dover Athletic and Winchester City, as well as playing his part in victories over Enfield Town, Salisbury and Southend United and he also scored the Brickies goal in their Play Off Final.

He managed nineteen goals in thirty-three Sittingbourne appearances during 23/24, and six in twelve at the end of the 22/23 campaign. He has also played for FC Romania and Stansted.

Ross Wall arrives at Park Lane.

Ross Wall ended last season a title winner with Maldon & Tiptree, playing ten times and scoring three goals. He swapped a play off chase with Bowers and Pitsea for a title chase with the Jammers back in March. Ross joined Bowers in August after beginning the season with Walthamstow. His twenty-three appearances at the Len Salmon brought eleven goals, and he also played three times, scoring once, for Walthamstow.

Ross spent the 24/25 season with Stanway Rovers and Saffron Walden Town in the Essex Senior League. Previously, he spent the 23/24 season with Heybridge Swifts, making twenty-nine appearances and scoring seven goals, after spending 22/23 with both Swifts and Brentwood Town. Prior to his time with Heybridge, Ross spent some of the 21/22 season with AFC Sudbury, making seventeen appearances, and some with Coggeshall Town, making another thirteen at the start of the campaign and twelve more at the end of it. He had been a big part of Coggeshall since before their Isthmian days, scoring regularly in their Thurlow Nunn promotion season and being a first team regular from then onwards.

He previously played for Hornchurch, spending two seasons as an Urchin, and prior to that played for Thurrock. Earlier in his career he played for Concord Rangers, Great Wakering Rovers and Maldon & Tiptree.