Two come in and one goes out on the Hassocks transfer front
Hassocks head coach Brad Sweetman has added some experience to his young squad by bringing two familiar faces back to the Beacon.
Former club captain Jordan Badger has returned after a couple of years away from football due to work commitments and he is joined by goalkeeper Alex Harris who starts his fifth spell with the club.
Badger originally arrived at the Robins from Lewes in the opening weeks of the 2016-17 season. He soon established himself as a commanding presence at centre back with the ability to get Hassocks quickly on the front foot via raking passes both cross field and down the pitch.
He took over as captain when Ashley Marsh retired in 2017 and held the role until he himself took a step back from the game at the end of the 2018-19 season after 110 appearances and an impressive haul for a centre back of seven goals.
Badger wasted no time in reminding the Hassocks faithful of the aerial threat he can pose for opposition defences, causing carnage in the AFC Uckfield Town box to snatch a late equaliser on his second Robins debut.
Harris has been brought in to strengthen the goalkeeper department due to Charlie Pugh’s availability remaining sporadic for the foreseeable future.
It was the 2013-14 season when Harris first arrived at the Beacon as a 16-year-old dual signed from Woking to gain experience of senior football.
He succeeded Jack Simpson as Hassocks number one when Simpson went travelling midway through the campaign, going onto make 16 appearances.
Harris subsequently returned to the Beacon from Metropolitan Police with the Robins in a relegation battle in the autumn of 2015.
His form over the second half of the season was a major reason why Hassocks managed to pull clear of the drop zone, including when keeping four clean sheets in a club-record run of eight consecutive wins in senior football.
Harris moved to Burgess Hill Town midway through 2016-17, returning for subsequent spells with the Robins at the start of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 campaigns.
Over the course of those, he has racked up 60 Hassocks appearances and also turned out for AFC Uckfield Town, Broadbridge Heath and Alfold amongst others.
Bradley Bant meanwhile has departed the Beacon for Premier Division newcomers AFC Varndeanians, where he will team up with former Robins Jamie Hillwood and Luke Akehurst.
Bant captained Hassocks last season after re-joining the club from Peacehaven & Telscombe. He departs having made 150 appearances over two spells, scoring 12 times.
