EAST Thurrock United manager John Coventry says winger Reece Harris is a “perfect fit” after he re-joined the club from Welling United.

Crowd favourite Harris, 24, departed in January 2015 to play for Welling, who were then plying their trade in the National League.

However, their relegation and Rocks’ promotion from the Ryman Premier League means the two will both be competing in the National League South next term.

And former Concord Rangers midfielder Harris has now decided to return to Rookery Hill despite enjoying a successful spell at the Kent side, with manager Coventry delighted at the signing.

“It is a great signing as we know what we are getting with Reece,” said Coventry. “He is a great lad and a good player. He fits our club.

“He is very versatile but I have a few things in mind regarding how I want to use Reece. He gives us so much.

“Reece enjoyed his time with is and he went to Welling in difficult circumstances and he did well. This season a new manager has come in and wanted to stamp his authority on the squad and only kept three or four players and I saw an opportunity.”

Harris follows a host of Rocks players to have already committed their futures to the club for next season, with Lucas Lidakevicius, Ryan Sammons, Rickie Hayles, Joe Ellul, Sammy Knott, Tom Wraight, George Craddock, Ben Marlow, Kye Ruel, Ben Wood, Sam Higgins, James Walker and Harry Honesty all agreeing to stay.

And Coventry says he wants to recruit more proven players at National League level, after failing to find any players at lower levels he thought could make the step up last term.

“You want experience, you need that balance,” he said. “I always look in the lower leagues to see if there are players who could embrace the opportunity to play higher but I didn’t come across too many last season so I am looking upwards. Reece Harris is ideal for that.

“We are going into next season of being competitive and taking games to the opposition. We don’t want to be passive and there are positive players in the squad.”

“There are at least two players who I am speaking with and I hope we will have something agreed soon.”