BOREHAM WOOD SIGN KANE SMITH

Boreham Wood are delighted to confirm the signing of former Premier League trialist Kane Smith on a two-year deal from Hitchin Town.

The 21-year-old right-back, who is known for his pace and powerful delivery, will link up with his new teammates in Devon today.

Smith made 120 senior appearances over two seasons for Hitchin, getting an impressive 11 goals and 30 assists from defence, while helping to keep 38 clean sheets.

These stats led to trials with Premier League side Crystal Palace and League One outfit’s Shrewsbury Town & Coventry City.

Following lengthy negotiations, the young full-back was delighted to finally put pen to paper, declaring: “I am ecstatic, I am really looking forward to getting down and playing football for Boreham Wood

“I had a deep conversation with Luke (Garrard) and he expressed how much he wanted me to come and join the club, the standard of football here is really high and I cannot wait to get started.

“I am quick, I like to get the ball down and play and I like to avoid going long where possible, I like to play with the ball and get forward.

“I think that I can bring a lot of pace and excitement to the club, I want to play regularly and see where it takes me.

“I think that the team is looking really strong and there is no reason why we can’t challenge for the play-offs.”

Smith won both Players’ Player & Supporters’ Player of the Year for Hitchin in 2016 and Wood manager Garrard said that he believes that he is now ready to step up a level.

“Kane is a very good up-and-coming full-back,” the 31-year-old commented. “He plied his trade in the Southern Premier League with Hitchin last year and had a very successful season, a lot of people speak very highly of him.

“He is young and has a lot to learn, but he has the credentials to progress and I am hopeful that he can do that at this football club.

“He was very keen on coming, he knows that this is his next step and he will bypass a league on the way, so it is going to be very interesting to see how he gets on, it is not easy.”

Despite his tender years, Garrard says that Smith will come into the group and challenge for a place in the first team straight away.

He continued: “As a right-back, he is going to be put under a lot of pressure, but in terms of him in possession, going over the halfway line, he is very positive.

“It is now down to me and my coaching staff to get him into some more defensive habits and I believe that we can do that.

“I believe that he can challenge for the first team straight away, that is the reason that we are bringing him in.

“We have also got Danny Woodards who can play at right-back, so he will need to come in and hit the ground running, but he is coming in to compete and to get himself a starting berth.”