Sittingbourne’s new recruit Ryan Palmer has demonstrated his tacking ability - on his young daughter!

The winger is expected to add a much-needed attacking threat to the Brickies when football finally resumes, after manager Darren Blackburn announced the player would be joining them.

Palmer, who has spent time during lockdown demonstrating football drills to his social media followers and encouraging others to take part, showed he has no patience for time-wasters, whatever the age!

He joked: “Keep telling her to stop holding onto the ball and play the pass!!! So this happened........ #TeachFromYoung.”

Later he admitted he was "in the dog house because of it."

Palmer was with Southern Counties East side Chatham Town for the expunged 2019/20 campaign and although no signings can be made official, Isthmian League Sittingbourne have an agreement in place with him, as well as hometown striker Harry Goodger, to help bring them goals next season.

One of Palmer's followers asked if the video helped get him a move to the Brickies and he joked: “They asked me if I could play DM so I sent them this!!!!”

Palmer is a company director at Kickup Sports, a company that delivers sessions to schools and communities. They have been posting workout sessions online that kids can do from home.

His wife is a critical care nurse and Palmer will be joining a team managed by a key worker too.

Blackburn was keen to announce that Palmer would be joining the club, even if it did draw criticism from some for being done now, when nobody has any idea when non-league football will return.

The manager said: “Everyone knows it is an agreement in principle and we spoke at length. I apologise if the term 'signed' upset anyone but deals are going on in football.

“When you look at the table you could see where our problems were, we weren’t scoring goals. Our goal difference was only kept respectable by our back five and I haven't signed Ryan for his defending.

“We don’t know when we are going to return but we wanted to give our fans something to get excited about, that there is light at the end of the tunnel. We will return one day, whenever that is, and I am an optimistic person.”

Goodger, another player Blackburn has reached an agreement over, was playing for Hollands & Blair last season, netting 13 goals before the season was scrapped. He’ll be hoping to finally get a chance to now play for his hometown club.

Sittingbourne have a fundraising account set up to help them through the coronavirus crisis, with a target set of £5,000. They have already raised over £4,000 and a large chunk of that has been donated by fans of Danish side Fremand Amager, who they have a growing link with through their supporters.

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