Deal Town club captain Kane Smith to join Canterbury City on dual registration as he steps up his injury comeback; Hoops at home against Herne Bay on Boxing Day
Captain Kane Smith is closing in on his injury comeback as manager Steve King targets his Deal return before the end of this season.
Defender Smith has only played once this term during the Hoops’ Isthmian South East opening-day 3-1 win over Lancing.
Smith is set to join promotion-chasing Southern Counties East Division 1 side Canterbury City.
He even struggled with injury as they won the Southern Counties East Premier Division title last campaign. Smith has remained captain throughout, though, and will temporarily reunite with Deal fans’ favourites Liam Hark and Connor Coyne at Canterbury.
King explained: “Kane trained twice last week so we didn’t want to rush him back in.
“But he’ll be with Canterbury from this Saturday on dual registration. There’s no massive time-frame on that but we’ll see if we can get him four or five games.
“I get on well with Danny Lawrence (City’s manager) and Harky and Coyney, they were massive parts of the club here, have gone over there. So, Kane will go there.
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“It’ll be good for Kane. He’s club captain and has remained club captain throughout, and he’s been absolutely fantastic.
“It’s really hard when you’re not playing. Also, we’re a non-contract club so he doesn’t get paid and he’s still here for pretty much every game.
“He still leads the group. He organised our fancy dress for Saturday and a lot of people wouldn’t do that sort of thing.
“He’ll go to Canterbury, who are competing to get promoted, so he’s going to have to go there and perform. It’s a bit different to under-23s football.
“We would love him to be back here and playing regularly before the end of the season so fingers crossed.”
Deal will host Herne Bay on