News | Pictures << Back to index Things looking up for KsBy Mike Simmonds Kingstonian have made a double swoop for Southend United defenders Mark Beard and Stephen Broad.
Beard, 28, talked to Brentford, Farnborough, Woking and Weymouth, but plumped to join Ks after talking to boss Kim Harris.
�Other managers got in contact, but none of them impressed me as much as Kim, who spoke highly of Ks and believes they can get back into the Conference,� he said.
Beard was a member of Geoff Chapple�s Ks team that reached the fourth round of the FA Cup in 2001, but then slipped out of the Conference.
He made 44 appearances for the club between August 2000 and October 2001.
The former Millwall and Sheffield United player has commanded transfer fees of �117,000 in his career.
Despite the off-field problems at Ks, which have culminated in the sale of Kingsmeadow this week to AFC Wimbledon, Beard had no qualms about returning to the club.
�I know about the problems, but they don�t worry me,� he said.
�I�ve talked to the people taking over the club and I think the future is rosy.
�It is good the fans are putting so much effort in because they have the club�s best interests at heart and it is not like some businessman is taking control.�
Beard admits he is surprised to be playing non-league football again after being a first team regular at Roots Hall last season.
�I played 42 games for Southend and I was disappointed they didn�t offer me anything, but they are having massive cutbacks,� he said.
Beard is convinced Ks can challenge for promotion and says Broad, 23, will be a big hit with supporters.
�Stephen is a superb player, who will be amazing at this level,� he said.
�Anyone who spends five years at Chelsea has to have something about him and I was shocked he was allowed to leave Southend.
�Greg Ball is getting back to fitness now, so I really believe we have a great chance of getting back into the Conference this season.�
11:02am Friday 4th July 2003
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