Kevin Hill

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Gulls legend becomes a Magpie

We'll get better - Brooks

.

Hill keen to help Magpies cause a few surprises

by Ky Capel

New signing Kevin Hill believes Dorchester Town could cause a few surprises next season in the Blue Square South.

The versatile player, predominantly a midfielder, ended his 11-year association with Torquay United when he joined the Magpies this week.

But the Gulls' record appearance holder is looking forward to a fresh challenge in his career.

He said: "I knew a lot about the club already and I was happy to move. I had a brilliant time at Torquay but, coming to over ten years at the club, with new players coming in I just wanted to get back to playing football.

"Hopefully my experience can filter through to the younger lads but I've only just turned 32 so in my eyes I've got plenty of playing years left in me and there's no better place to start than here.

"It's one league below Torquay but I don't see it that way, it's a new challenge and I can't wait.

"I've played against Dorchester with Torquay and I always liked coming here so joining wasn't a hard decision to make.

"I could have come on loan during last season but I was so close to breaking the Torquay appearance record and that was always in the back of my mind."

After finishing last season in the relegation zone, Dorchester's status in the Blue Square South was only restored after Halifax Town and Boston United, although not in Dorchester's league, were both expelled from the Football Conference.

And Hill admits that the Magpies' reprieve played a part in gaining his signature. He added: "It helped a long way but at the end of the day I knew how big this club was in the non-League area. Looking on the Internet I saw that we were 40/1 to get promoted and I think we'll shock a few people.

"Having been reprieved people will expect us to improve and I think we can after speaking to Shaun Brooks and hearing about some of the players he is trying to bring in."

Torquay had hoped he would still remain a part of the club by joining their Centre of Excellence coaching set-up.

But Hill, whose signed a two-year deal at the Jewson Stadium, is fully focused on the task in hand. He said: "Torquay offered me something behind the scenes but I'm not quite ready for that yet. My main priority, 100 per cent, is on the football side."

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