By Bruce Archer
Former Kingstonian striker Bobby Traynor is desperate to get back into the fold after a year off from football – and admitted he would love to don a Ks shirt again.
Traynor, 29, gave up the game last summer because work commitments meant he was unable to fulfil the training schedule, and he knew manager Alan Dowson would not accept a player who was not able to give everything for the side.
Traynor said: “I played at Ks for five years, and for Dowson for seven, and I knew it wouldn’t work if I couldn’t train and commit to the side, so I decided to stop, but it’s been harder than I expected, to be honest.
“I never wanted to play for anyone else, though, and I’ve kept my eye on the results.
“I’ve been missing it, so I called Dowse up and he said to come down to training and we’re taking it step by step, just seeing how it goes at the moment.
“I’ve tried playing golf, but that doesn’t really fill the void, so I’m desperate to get back into it.”
Traynor was lethal for Ks, scoring 154 goals in 241 starts between 2007 and 2012 and, after the club’s disappointing season last year, finishing 11th, he would love to fire in the goals that push them on for a promotion chase this year.
He said: “At the moment, nothing is agreed but, if I can train and play well, then I think we can get it sorted.
“I’ve been really enjoying being back and seeing all the boys again.”
Manager Dowson has also confirmed that he would love to have an in-form Traynor back in the side.
He said: “Bobby’s been training, but nothing’s agreed yet.
“We’re seeing how it goes. He’s had the year off dealing with his own things but, if we could get him back to the player he was before, then we would have one hell of a player, that’s for sure.”
In terms of preparation for the season, though, the Ks boss is happy with his current crop.
He said: “The squad looks good. We’ve got most of what we want signed up now and it’s just a case of waiting until a week before the season starts to see if any of the trialists at higher clubs don’t make it, and would be worth taking another look at.”
Celebration: Traynor is mobbed after scoring one of many goals for Ks in the season before last SP65723
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