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Dozzell to Join Canvey?
Dozzell to Join Canvey?
Tuesday, 2nd Apr 2002 23:15

Former Town star Jason Dozzell is mulling over an offer from Ryman League side Canvey Island. Dozzell retired from league football at Colchester earlier in the season due to a foot injury but is still allowed to play outside the Football League.

The offer from Canvey came via a phone call from former Town player Glenn Pennyfather, now coach at the Essex side. Dozzell met with the Gulls two weeks ago, but with his fitness currently lacking it looks likely that he will have to wait until next season to make his Canvey bow.

He told TWTD: "I've not really kicked a ball for five months, so I've been down to Colchester for a couple of days in the last few weeks and the foot doesn't feel too bad.

"Now that my insurance has come through I can't play Football League, but this is the next best thing. I miss it since I finished and I want to get back out there kicking the ball around.

"It might be a bit late this season as I haven't played a serious game for a year-and-a-half, and fitness-wise it's going to take a while, but if I get a good pre-season over the summer I might start playing again next year.

"The foot feels all right at the moment, but whether it will take a tackle is another matter. I need to have a word with the surgeon and see what long-term effects there might be. If it's going to do any damage long-term then I'll give it a miss, but the offer's there if I want it. But, as I say the foot is the main question."

Since retirement Dozzell has once more become a regular in the stands at Portman Road and was impressed with the performance against Chelsea on Monday: "I thought they played really well and were better than Chelsea. It's vital that Town take their chances when they come along. The penalty was a chance that ought to have been taken, but it was a great save from Cudicini. How he got that over the bar I'll never know."

Dozzell was impressed by the noise generated by the North Stand, with supporters in both tiers of the new stand for the first time: "It made an enormous difference and a couple of times it got really loud."

If he does sign for Canvey he'll join a host of other ex-Town men as well as coach Pennyfather. Former first-teamers John Kennedy and Neil Gregory and ex-reserve Adam Miller are there, although Adam Tanner was released recently and current Town player Ashley Nicholls completed a month on loan a few weeks back.

Dozzell may also be back in a Town shirt over the summer in the Masters' tournament. The Blues are in one of two London Masters' events to be held at the London Arena, facing Millwall, Arsenal and Spurs on July 20th.

The ex-Spurs man has filled in the forms and is waiting to hear back: "I've put my name down, for Ipswich of course. I don't know who else has, but I'm hoping to be there. It should be good fun and I'm looking forward to it."


Photo: Action Images



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