As preparations start for the 2024-25 season, Sutton United FC are announcing the departure of club captain Craig Eastmond alongside several major contributors to the club's recent success in Craig Dundas, Harry Beautyman, Rob Milsom, and Jon Barden.
Craig Eastmond has been central to the club's success since signing early in the 2015-16 season, playing a significant role in that season's National League South championship win, and then facing his former club, Arsenal, in the 2016-17 FA Cup fifth round. He was appointed captain midway through the 2019-20 season and led the side to the National League title the following campaign and to a Wembley final and 8th place in League Two a year later, scoring and being named Man of the Match in the Papa John's Trophy final. He has been voted Club Player of the Year on three occasions and leaves the club seven games short of 400 appearances and with 29 goals, being admitted in to the club Hall of Fame in 2022.
Craig Dundas is another Hall of Fame member being one of only five players to make over 500 appearances and score over 100 goals for Sutton United, his 586 appearances putting him fifth in the club's all time list and his goals tally standing at 109. Signed in November 2007, apart from one season at Hampton in 2009-2010 he has been with the club ever since, playing in defence, midfield and attack, and more recently has also been the club's fitness coach. He featured in the Isthmian League championship success in 2011, the National League South championship five years later, and the National League title in 2021, and in September that year became the oldest player since the Second World War to make his Football League debut when he came on as a substitute against Stevenage at the age of 40 (above). He has been voted Player of the Year three times and also won the Supporters' Club award on three occasions, and recently received a PFA Community Champion Award.
Another big fans' favourite, Harry Beautyman originally signed in August 2011, scoring on his debut at Tonbridge, and made over 100 appearances over the next three years before moving to Welling and subsequently playing in the Football League for Peterborough, Northampton and Stevenage. He rejoined us in January 2018 and in the 2019-20 season his seventeen goals from midfield earned him a clean sweep of the Player of the Year awards for which he was eligible before featuring in the National League title success the following year. He has been named in the National League team of the season twice, and is another to be closing in on 400 appearances, finishing with 387 games and 73 goals to his credit.
Rob Milsom was one of Matt Gray's first signings in summer 2019 and has been a mainstay of the side at left back throughout his time with the club. Instrumental in our National League success of 2021, when his goals included the first in the 3-0 defeat of Hartlepool which secured the title, he made his 200th appearance in December and has scored seventeen goals.
Jon Barden joined us as a midfielder during the 2018-19 season but converted to right back during the following season and made the position his own as we won the National League in 2021. He made 141 appearances for the club but has recently recovering from a broken leg sustained at Stevenage in October 2022.
Also leaving the club will be Lee Angol, Tope Fadahunsi, Brad House, Scott Kashket, Ollie Khinda, Deon Moore, Christian N'Guessan and Tobi Ogundega, while Nino Adom-Malaki, Dean Bouzanis, Stephen Duke-McKenna, Charlie Lakin and Olly Sanderson all return to their parent clubs at the end of their loan spells. Once again we thank them all for their efforts for the club during their time with us.
Steve Arnold, Sam Hart and Matt Kerbey have been offered new deals, while the remainder of the squad is already under contract for next season.
