AVELEY manager Terry Spillane says he believes he has been proven right in making Lamar Johnson captain after the controversial goalkeeper’s impressive performances this season.

Johnson has been criticised in the past for a number of misdemeanours, and was banned from football for a year in January 2014 after he was found guilty of an FA charge.

But the stopper, who is currently serving a ban for an incident against Thurrock before Spillane took charge, has impressed since Spillane was appointed in October, and he feels he has been vindicated.

“Lamar has been brilliant since I have come here and is a fine captain,” he said.

“I made that decision based on everything I knew. He had a few teams interested in him and he asked where he stood when I came in and I like him a lot.

“From my perspective, he is a young man and speaks a lot of sense. I knew about his previous misdemeanours and I said to him ‘it’s time to grow up a bit’ and he has done very well.

“He has taken to it like a duck to water and respects things more.

“It was a no-brainer.”

Spillane was left frustrated last weekend as Aveley’s home match with Bury was postponed because of a frozen pitch.

The Millers have not played since January 7 and Spillane is desperate this weekend’s match against Waltham Abbey does not also fall foul of the cold snap.

“It is frustrating at the moment,” he said. “This time of the year it can happen and we have been pretty lucky so far.

“I can’t complain – it is just unfortunate it has been two weeks running.

“The upside of it is it gives guys like George Woodward and Georgie Pullen the chance to regain fitness so that is a boost for us.

“I spoke to groundsman Craig Johnson and let’s hope it picks up.

“I understand the weather will warm up – I hope so.”

Spillane added he was very excited at the progress made at the club’s new Parkside ground, with Aveley set to move in at the start of next season.

Work is well underway with the clubhouse and fencing areas around the pitch starting to take shape.

And Spillane says the chance to play there next season is something he, and the players, are very much looking forward to.

“I went down there to have a look on Saturday and it looks nice,” he said. “You can see what it is going to be like and the shape of the clubhouse and pitch side fencing is really taking shape so it is very exciting.”