Chad Field possesses the qualities that can help the Rocks turn around their season. That’s the hope of bosses Michael Birmingham and Jamie Howell, who have identified his strengths as key to shaping their recruitment as they set about bringing in players for what will be an impending relegation scrap.
Central defender Field, 28 returned to Bognor Regis Town from Horndean last week and turned in a man-of-the-match display in the Isthmian premier division Sussex derby 1-0 defeat to Hastings United at Nyewood Lane.
That loss left the Rocks at the foot of the standings, 10 points from safety and facing a monumental battle to retain their premier division status.
Field, 28, came on loan to the Rocks in 2015 from Portsmouth before joining the club permanently a year later. But he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in 2020 and left the club as he focused on his recovery. He had previously made 170 appearances, with a further 16 substitute appearances, scoring six goals, since his debut on New Year’s Day 2015.
Birmingham managed Field at Five Heads Park and was instrumental in bringing him back to the Nye Camp. And he said: “Bringing Chad over was a no-brainer. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with him for the past three and a half years and I got to see his qualities and leadership skills and the way he demands respect in the changing room and on the pitch… he leads by example. I can’t speak highly enough of him especially the way he had come back from the knee injuries.
“He’s one of the main reasons that Horndean were so successful with me. Chad is a man and he knows how the game is played… as soon as I came back to Bognor I sounded him out to come back ‘home’ to give it a go and he immediately said ‘yes’.
“Wherever I went he wanted to come as well, so when you have that trust with him it’s brilliant. I spoke to Jamie about it and we both agreed. He’s a good character; he knows Harvey (Whyte) and Calvin (Davies) and all the big characters at the club so we can only hope that he is one of the reasons we can turn around the misfortune at Bognor and get them going again.”
The chance to do that presents itself tomorrow against Chichester City in the derby clash and again on Saturday when the Rocks go to Dulwich Hamlet. And Howell believes Field will continue to make a big impact in the rearguard as the season unfolds. He added: “I thought Chad, alongside Dion Jarvis, made a big difference against Hastings. They looked more experienced, had good strength and they won first aerial balls so I’m looking at those positives.”
Our snap shows Chad gets the MOTM fizz from sponsor Bennett Electrical Pic: Lyn Phillips & Trev Staff
