Dan's the man to fight for Terras
By Derek Bish

Thursday 11th February 2010

NEW recruit Dan Smith hopes to use his previous experience of battling relegation to help guide Weymouth to Blue Square South safety.

The 20-year-old former Plymouth Argyle midfielder, who made his Terras’ debut in last Saturday’s defeat at Staines, was on loan at Eastbourne Borough for three months last season and helped lift the East Sussex outfit from just above the drop-zone into the top half of the Blue Square Premier table.

Borough scored 22 points during Smith’s 13-game spell and with 15 matches left of the Terras’ season he believes there is more than enough time for Weymouth to save themselves.

“Myself and another lad from Plymouth went to Eastbourne last season when they were one place above the relegation zone and during our loan spell we helped get them up to ninth,” he said.

“I’m hoping I can help do something similar to that, and hopefully last season will hold me in good stead.”

Smith scored three goals during that successful loan stint and left Championship outfit Argyle in the summer to re-sign for Borough.

But after starting just four matches this season he decided to terminate his contract and was picked up by Weymouth manager Jerry Gill, who beat off competition from Woking and Barrow for Smith’s signature.

And the move nearer home is one that is favourable for Plymouth-based Smith, both on and off the pitch. “I’ve got a little boy and didn’t get to see him that often when I was at Eastbourne,” he said.

“But now I’m home, I get to see him when I want because Weymouth is not that far away at all. “I just want to be playing football and get my career back on track.”

He added: “If my confidence is high that’s when I’m at my best so I’m trying to build some confidence up.

“I had a steady game on Saturday, without doing anything major, but it is something to work on and hopefully I can push on and get stronger in every game.”

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Joe Welch joined on loan from Histon at the same time and is hoping to get games under his belt to prove that he can cut it at senior football.

“As a goalkeeper coming into a team that is struggling you are always going to be busy, but at the same time it’s not easy,” said the 21-year-old ex-Southend United stopper.

“Wherever you go you want to win so hopefully I can come in and try and shore things up at the back, get a few points and help push Weymouth up the league.”

Welch, who has made a handful of appearances during his time at Histon and also turned out at Bishop’s Stortford for half a season, was also given a good first impression of the Weymouth squad at Staines Town.

“The team spirit is brilliant from what I saw on Saturday,” he said.

“Everyone seems to know what the manager wants to do and they have all stuck together – if they continue doing that and continue improving on the pitch like I’m told they have been, they should survive.