Spotswood has fired the first shot in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association’s off-season recruiting battle by signing Jeremy Brown last week.
Brown was named the VTCA’s player of the year last season after a brilliant 2013-14 campaign with senior division side Greenvale.
The allrounder scored 734 runs, took 27 wickets and was an integral part of Greenvale finishing the home-and-away season on top of the ladder.
Spotswood president John Wheeler said it was a great to have someone of Brown’s ability sign for his club.
“We’re rapt to have him on board,” Wheeler said. “We’ve been talking with Jeremy since the end of the season about coming to Spotty … to get a player of his calibre, we’re ecstatic.
“We have a lot of young kids here and that’s one thing we’ve spoken about with Jeremy. We think he will be great at working with our young kids and will really help to develop them.”
Brown looms as an even more dominant force for season 2014-15 with Spotswood to play in the competition’s second division.
After Spotswood finished the 2013-14 season in fifth spot on the ladder, Wheeler is hoping the addition of Brown will help the club get back into the VTCA’s top grade.
He added that last week’s announce- ment might not be the only big-name signing of the off-season.
“We’re looking at moving forward, getting back up into senior division and really striving for that success we need as a club,” he said.
“We have hopefully got another player who’s a very good bat who will be with us. We’re hoping we’ll have all that sorted in the next week or two.”
In joining Spotswood, Brown will link with club captain and good friend Andrew Dickinson.
The pair played Victorian Premier Cricket together for Carlton.
Wheeler confirmed that Dickinson will continue in a leadership role for Spotswood in 2014-15 after coaching the club last season.
“Andrew Dickinson has been sensational for our club,” Wheeler said. “The leadership he’s shown has been fantastic.
“We have been really fortunate to have someone like Andrew at our club. He’s a great leader and player, and a really good bloke. He’s a great fit for our club.”
