The start of the 2019-20 season didn’t stop boss Dino Maamria adding to his squad; Joel Rollinson coming in two days after our opening match. Not that it was much of a shock to be fair, as the young wide man had featured for us during the 2019 pre-season. With pace to burn, you can understand why Maamria turned to Rollinson. After all, our options in that sense hadn’t been too broad.

But the question was soon asked: “why did we sign him?”. Two sub outings was as much as we saw from him during his time at the club; presumably a panic buy at the start of the season with players out left, right and centre through injury. As our squad piled up, it was increasingly hard to find space for Rollinson in the side. As such, he ended up on loan at Cray Wanderers. And, in summer 2020, he was allowed to leave the club on a free.

Joel Rollinson: Before Boro’

Rollinson was available to us on a freebie after Reading let him go that summer. While he hadn’t made a first-team appearance for the Royals, there were two games in the Football League Trophy to speak of – including a goal in a ridonculous 7-5 defeat to Gillingham. In addition to that, there was also a taste of first team football in a loan spell with Eastbourne Borough during the 2018-9 season.

Were we the springboard to a fruitful career in League Two and above? No.