Hythe Town boss Sam Denly excited to pair Frannie Collin and Sid Sollis in attack
06:29, 29 May 2019
updated: 07:04, 29 May 2019
Hythe Town's new-look strikeforce has already got manager Sam Denly excited for the new season.
Denly has paired Frannie Collin with Sid Sollis after bringing both players to Reachfields from Margate this summer.
Collin is a proven class act in non-league while Sollis has shown glimpses of his talent in two loan spells with Hythe.
The 19-year-old found first-team opportunities limited at Hartsdown Park but will get regular games in a red shirt.
Denly said: "For his age, I don’t think there’s many better. He’s a fantastic player with a great attitude so I’m really pleased to get him confirmed with us full-time.
"It’s something I wanted to do since he came in. It’s long overdue and I’m looking forward to working with him permanently.
"I knew Sid wanted it to happen because he was getting game time and enjoying his time with us. Margate were more than helpful with getting the deal over the line.
"Sid needs a season of playing every week, working hard, getting his head down and scoring goals, which there’s no doubt he’ll do.
"His goalscoring record was brilliant during the short time we had him last season so he should be a 20-goals-a-season player.
"He’s got all the ability to do that and to kick on and player higher but at this moment in time he just needs a season playing regularly. That’ll do him the world of good.
"Frannie’s at the other end of the spectrum in terms of his experience. He’s played higher his whole career and he’s scored so many goals wherever he’s been.
"Sid’s very raw and young and those two should gel really well together. Frannie will help Sid because he’s got all that experience and know-how in the game.
"That’s only going to benefit Sid so it’s a partnership I’m looking forward to seeing flourish."
Collin did a job for Margate in various roles but he'll tell you he's still a centre-forward and Denly agrees.
He said: "I think they played 4-3-3 a lot last year and maybe at times he played out wide or in behind but Frannie’s a through-the-middle striker as far as I'm concerned.
"He drops in at times and his game may have evolved a little bit but he scores goals and that’s the position I’ll be looking to play him in.
"Players can play in and around and off Frannie but he’s an out-and-out striker who’s going to score you 20 goals a season."
Hythe have also brought in defender Ben Fitchett from Margate with more signings expected this week.
Denly said: "Ben comes highly recommended and I’ve kept an eye on him over the last year. He played the last five or 10 games for Margate and a lot of people were saying good things about him.
"He’s young and there were a lot of clubs speaking with him. We’ve been speaking for a while, Frannie coming in has helped that as well and he’s a really good addition, a young centre-half who’s big and strong and also got a turn of pace. It’s another exciting signing.
"He’s had experience (of this league with Sittingbourne) so we have seen him and he looked a good player then. He went back to Margate and had a bit of game time and he’s only going to get better.
"Players like that who come in and do well are only going to get better by playing games and he’s another lad who needs to play every week, compete for his shirt and know that if he’s doing well, he’s going to be playing and once he gets that under his belt he can go on to bigger and better things hopefully.
"The time is right for him to be at a club where he’s got a very good chance of playing and he’s certainly going to have that with us at Hythe."
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