Non-League and Academy football writer

New Salamis were founded in 1971, in London, by supporters of Cypriot team Nea Salamis Famagusta. Their journey as a club, since the early 1970s, has been a quite remarkable one, which has taken them from the KOPA League, a British Cypriot league in which they won on 12 occasions, to the eighth tier of English football, in recent years. Since they moved into Saturday/non-League football, New Salamis has had a great balance of youth and experience in their senior side. The club who won the FA Sunday Cup in the 2015/16 season, have since risen up the leagues at non-League level. It was under the management of George Georgiou, that New Salamis won promotion from the Hertfordshire Senior County League (step 7 of non-League), and into step 6 of non-League, for the 2019/20 season. In 2021/22 New Salamis won the Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division with an incredible 30 wins from 38 league matches, during that season, under the tutelage of then manager Richard Georgiou. Former Ghana international Derek Asamoah was in outstanding form for New Salamis during that particular season, and his influence at the club, during his time there was absolutely tremendous.

After continuing to make history, New Salamis have played their football in the Isthmian League North Division for two seasons running now. However, during their first season at that level, they finished in a very respectable ninth place in the Isthmian League North Division. The current season (2023/24), New Salamis’ second season in the eighth tier of English football, currently sees them sit in 13th place in the Isthmian League North Division. It has been a season which saw their top scorer and a real legend of the club, Derek Asamoah, leave the club to join Brightlingsea Regent, of the same division, during the early stages of the season. The 42 year old forward’s influence on the team, leadership on the pitch and his excellent goalscoring record for the club, was wonderful to see, and it undoubtedly helped the club to progress a lot in the more than two seasons that he was with them. I have been to watch New Salamis at Coles Park (they groundshare there, with Haringey Borough) on a good number of occasions over the past couple of seasons. For the start of this season, and after Richard Georgiou stepped down from his role as first team manager, New Salamis appointed Tommy Boxer and Finlay Johnson as joint first team managers. Also, Ricky Brennan was named assistant manager, and Michael Anastasiou was appointed first team coach, for the start of the 2023/24 season.

Finlay Johnson has a lot of experience in football as a coach prior to his latest role as joint manager of New Salamis. He has previously coached at clubs such as Brentford and Watford (as well as at Royston Town), as well as managing in non-League at clubs such as Chalfont St Peter and Codicote. Tommy Boxer is still registered as a player with New Salamis, as well as being joint first team manager. A brave and tenacious defender, Tommy Boxer has played for Isthmian League clubs such as Potters Bar Town and Northwood. Despite being young managers in non-League, both Finlay and Tommy have a lot of experience in non-League football. In the time that I have seen New Salamis play over the last couple of seasons, I’ve really admired their style of play, both at present under Finlay Johnson and Tommy Boxer, and previously under the management of Richard Georgiou. The Salamina play the game at a really good intensity, however, they play really well as a team. They play good football, but in my opinion their running and pressing off the ball is just as impressive. They never give up in games, regardless of who they are playing against. And that great team spirit has seen them come very far in a short space of time in non-League football.

As well as having experienced senior players who have been around the club in recent seasons, such as Derek Asamoah, the club also have a really good policy of giving young players the opportunity to show their qualities at a really good standard of non-League. I have been to Coles Park to watch New Salamis on a good number of occasions already this season, and young and promising players such as Christos Batzelis and Wraynel Hercules, have impressed me when I have seen them play this season. However, trusting young players for New Salamis’ first team in the Isthmian League North Division is really admirable, and it shows that they are a good club to go to, for players who have for example come from professional clubs/academy set-ups. Other examples of ex-academy players playing for New Salamis, are former Spurs Academy players Zenon Stylianides and Rayan Clarke, who were at the club during the previous 2022/23 season. Always a difficult team to play against, players who have also impressed me whenever I have seen New Salamis play this season, are Micah Jackson, a clever player who has progressed up the leagues, and who has goals to his game. And also, goalkeeper Reuben Rabstein has been a very solid and consistent player for New Salamis this season, and the young goalkeeper has had some really good games for them in 2023/24.

I have seen New Salamis go up against teams such as Welling United (in the London Senior Cup) and be very unlucky not to finish the game as the winning side. However, they also performed excellently against Grays Athletic in the early qualifying stages of the FA Cup, this season, a game which they won 3-1 at Coles Park. I was also in attendance for their most recent league fixture, against Enfield FC on Sunday afternoon. After a good start, Enfield came back into the game, but the home side showed that real team spirit once again, to get the win (they won 3-2). New Salamis’ story since they stepped into non-League football is one to admire, and I wish them all the very best of luck for the remainder of this season. With Finlay Johnson, Tommy Boxer and the rest of the New Salamis coaching staff continuing to improve the team during the second half of the season, I really wouldn’t be surprised if the club continued to improve in the next couple of seasons. They are a good footballing side, and one that I always enjoy watching.