Gosport Borough boss Shaun Gale brings former loanee goalkeeper back to Privett Park
Bert White has returned to Gosport Borough.
The goalkeeper, 20, first joined Boro on loan from Ipswich Town in the summer of 2021.
He was an ever-present in Boro’s Southern League side last season until being recalled by the Tractor Boys in mid-January.
Subsequently released by Ipswich, White started this season in the National League South with Weymouth.
But the one-time AFC Bournemouth youngster was released after conceding nine goals in three league games.
White was beaten three times in successive home losses to Tonbridge, leaders Ebbsfleet and third-placed Worthing.
He was due to play for Boro in last weekend’s Southern League game with Salisbury at Privett Park.
That was because regular keeper Pat O’Flaherty was set to serve a one-game suspension for a red card against Hamworthy in the FA Cup.
With all football being called off as a mark of respect following the Queen’s passing, White will now start against Paulton in next Saturday’s FA Cup tie.
Before that, he will also play in Tuesday’s Hampshire Senior Cup second round tie at Andover New Street.
Eastleigh loanee Brendon Willson won’t figure - he will play for the Spitfires in the tournament - and young Finn Walsh-Smith, just 18, will be rested after starting the last few first-team fixtures.
Centre half Ryan Woodford, who hasn’t featured at all yet in 2022/23, could make his seasonal debut.
Central midfielder Dan Aitken, just 16, will certainly get some minutes.
‘Dan’s a great prospect,’ said boss Shaun Gale. ‘He’s been patient, he’s trained well. There’s not many 16 year-olds, if any, in and around a first team squad at our level.
Another youngster, midfielder Jake Wright, can also expect some game time at Foxcotte Park.
New Street play three tiers lower than Boro in Division 1 of the Wessex League. So far this season, they have won one and drawn two of their three league fixtures.
One familiar face for Boro fans in the New Street line-up could be Mike Gosney, who played for Gosport in the 2014 FA Trophy final loss to Cambridge United at Wembley.
Gosney has started all three of New Street’s league games this season, including the 4-0 curtain-raising win against Fleetlands.