Published: Thursday, 18th June, 2009 2:30pm

Competition for places key

by Patrick Corlett

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Football

COMPETITON for places is crucial according to Slough manager Steve Bateman and that is what he has now with the latest recruits.

'I"m pleased as we will hopefully have a strong group of players with healthy competition," said the Rebels supremo.

"I will have the unenviable task of having to pick a starting 11.

'With Ian (Brown) and Jamie (Jackson) we will have two of the best goalkeepers in the division without question. I"m absolutely amazed that he is available because he is one of, if not the, best in the Premier Division.

'I did say to everybody there will be competition for places. Jamie needs that competition and will be the first to admit it. It wasn"t an area I had targeted but I"m absolutely gobsmacked that I"ve been able to sign him.

'Paul Edgeworth is predominantly an attacking central midfield who gets his fair share of goals, he averages 12 or 15 comfortably a season. He"s played a number of positions, slots in quite comfortably at centre-half and can even play up front where he was quite prolific. He was one of those two or three that I definitely wanted to bring to the club. He"s been my captain for three years at Hemel and scored the winning goal to get Hemel up to the premier with the last kick of the game.'

Bateman added: 'Chris Herron, despite reports on the Hemel website that he has signed for them, has signed forms with us this week.

'He is in the mould of Steve Sinclair, an exciting wide player that makes things happen and has got good delivery.

'Steve Jackman is a central defender I see as the organiser. For a lad of 25 he has played a lot.

'He won the Conference South with Histon and would have carried on in that vain but for a freak cricket accident. Looking at the spine of the side I was keen to improve it and that is what he does.

'Gary Sippetts is a striker who joins us from Chesham United. The level we are at at the moment he has got 40 goals a season, scoring regularly in the Southern League. He played a key part in getting Chesham into the play-offs last year.'