Goalkeeper
Sawyer is a highly rated young goalkeeper who joins Bassett this season. Sawyer has come through Chippenham Town’s Academy - and was included in the Bluebirds’ National League South squad last year, travelling with the team on a handful of occasions as their backup goalkeeper. Sawyer was signed with Cirencester Town last season too, playing a single Hellenic League Premier Division game. He is a player who has great pedigree as the son of Kevin Sawyer - a local goalkeeping legend who racked up over 500 Southern League appearances.
Defender
Defender
Coward is a towering defender who is nonetheless comfortable with the ball at his feet and joins Bassett this season from Bradford Town. After breaking through into senior football with Calne Town Reserves, Coward was a key part of Devizes Town's 2022-23 promotion-winning side that finished as Wiltshire League Premier Division runners-up. He featured again for Devizes in Hellenic League Division One in 2023-24 before spending last season with Malmesbury Victoria in the Hellenic Premier. Coward began this year with Bradford in the Western League Premier Division before switching to Bassett.
Sponsor: Steve McCardle
Defender
Davidson is an experienced, reliable defender capable of playing across the back line who rejoins Bassett this season. He spent most of last season with Highworth Town, winning Manager’s Player of the Year. Davidson previously spent the 2021-22 season with Bassett, when he played 24 times. He has Southern League experience having featured at that level for Highworth Town, Stratford Town and Midlington. Davidson also counts Fairford Town among his former clubs.
Defender
McNally is a a tough tackling, technical defender who joins Bassett this season. A player capable of playing at either left back or centre half, he arrives from Hungerford Town. McNally started his senior career with Cirencester Town, featuring for the Centurions’ Development team in 2021-22 and 2022-23 in Hellenic League Division One while also making a single cup appearance for their first team. In 2023-24 McNally featured ten time for Malmesbury Victoria in their Hellenic League Division One promotion winning campaign. He then began last season with Cirencester before spending most of the campaign with Hungerford Under 23s. McNally helped the Crusaders’ side to a league and cup double in the Suburban League, scoring four goals in 24 appearances. He also made his Hungerford first team debut against eventual Southern League Premier Division South champions Merthyr Town.
Defender
A graduate of Bassett’s youth system, Smith is more than just ‘one of our own’. The full back, who boasts pace, stamina and the ability to make a difference at both ends of the pitch, has been a standout performer in all Bassett teams he has played for. With the Development team in 2024-25, his first year of senior football, he featured 25 times and was named the club’s Young Player of the Year, while also making a handful of Men’s First Team appearances. Last season, as he made the full step up to the Men’s First Team, was even better for Smith. Starting all but one of his 39 appearances, Smith made the right back position his own, grabbing three goals and plenty of assists along the way as he earned a share of the Supporters’ Player of the Year prize. Alongside Bassett, Smith’s development has been aided by his time with Chippenham Town’s Academy.
Sponsor: The Smiths
Defender
Defender
Thorne is an industrious, aggressive full back who joined Bassett part way through this season. A player who is capable of playing further forward in midfield, Thorne has quality on the ball and is also an assured defender. He began his career with Thame United and made his Southern League debut for the Oxfordshire side in 2021-22. A first choice for Thame a season later, Thorne then split the 2023-24 campaign between North Leigh, Hungerford Town and Combined Counties League outfit Risborough Rangers. After returning to Thame, Thorne then primarily featured for Cirencester Town in the Hellenic League last year.
Midfielder
A hard working, left-sided player, who boasts pace, skill and a creative spark, Cook is a youngster who showed great promise in his debut campaign with Bassett last season. After making an impression with the Development team in the Wiltshire League Premier Division, Cook made the step up to the Men's First Team squad and quickly earned a starting berth as he went on to play 19 times, scoring once. Cook also represents Chippenham Town Academy.
Midfielder
An imposing, box to box midfielder who is strong in the air and a danger from set pieces, Hall is a highly sought after player who joins Bassett this season from Fairford Town. In the last two seasons, Hall picked up two player of the year awards with the Red Arrows, receiving their Young Player of the Year prize in 2024-25 before earning Supporters’ Player of the Year last season while finishing as Fairford’s leading appearance maker. While still young, Hall has plenty of Southern League experience having featured at step four for Highworth Town (2021-22 and 2022-23) and Cribbs (2023-24).
Midfielder
Midfielder
Hopkins is a young, left-sided winger who joins Bassett this season. Over the past couple of seasons he has featured for the Swindon Town Foundation C6 team - including the 2023-24 side that won the Community and Education Football Alliance Cup - and Fairford Town Under 18s. Hopkins also made a single Hellenic League appearance for Fairford in 2023-24.
Midfielder
Midfielder
Parry-Williams is a highly talented central midfielder who joins Bassett this seasons. A player who came through Calne Town’s youth system and a member of their successful Under 18 Floodlit League team, he made his debut in senior football in 2022-23, featuring four times for Calne’s first team and eight times for their Reserve side. A season later Parry-Williams featured 34 times for Calne in Hellenic League Division before splitting time last season between Corsham Town and Slimbridge in the Hellenic Premier.
Sponsor: John Trollope
Midfielder
While small in stature, Taylor is a player who - thanks to his intelligence and passing ability - always stands out on the pitch. A highly promising young midfielder who is capable of dictating the pace of the game, Taylor joined Bassett last season. He made a strong impression too, going on to earn a share of the Supporters’ Player of the Year prize after making 42 appearances and scoring three goals. A Chippenham Town Academy graduate, Taylor has also featured for Cirencester Town in the Hellenic League Premier Division.
Sponsor: Maundrell and Co Ltd
Forward
Strong, aggressive, a hard worker with an eye for goal, Bell is a well-rounded young attacking player. Capable of playing either through the middle or out wide, he rejoined Bassett last season after a year and a half with Calne Town. A product of the club's youth section, Bell featured for Bassett's Under 18 Floodlit team in 2019-20 and 2020-21, making a pair of Men's First Team appearances for Bassett in the latter of those season. He became a regular for the Development team in 2021-22 as Bassett won the Wiltshire League Premier Division. 2023-24 was then Bell's breakout year with the Development team. He finished as their top scorer with 20 goals in 23 games, winning the team's Players' Player of the Year award. Bell then moved to Calne for the 2024-25 campaign, finishing as second top scorer with 17 goals in 42 games as the Lilywhites finished as runners-up in Western League Division One. After returning to Bassett part way through last season, Bell scored three goals in eleven games.
Forward
Hopkins is a highly talented young forward who re-joins Bassett after a brief spell at Fairford Town. Hopkins enjoyed a hugely impressive season with Bassett last year, scoring six goals and providing numerous assists in 45 appearances as he went on to earn the club's Young Player of the Year award. Hopkins initially joined Bassett from Shrivenham where he was a standout player in their 2023-24 Wiltshire League Premier Division campaign, finishing as joint top scorer with 12 goals in 24 games. The forward has also enjoyed success with the Swindon Town Foundation’s C6 team, based at Commonweal School. Featuring for them across three seasons, in 2023-24 he was part of the Swindon team that finished runners-up in South East Division One and won the Community and Education Football Alliance Cup - where Hopkins earned Player of the Match honours in the final.
Forward
The prodigal son returns again. A player who seems to have had more comebacks than Frank Sinatra, Presley is an important signing for Bassett this season, providing the team with a proven goalscoring threat in the Hellenic League Premier Division who should be entering his prime. Boasting skill, speed, strength, the willingness to take defenders on, expert delivery and finishing ability, he is a player who opponents fear. Presley’s quality is underlined by the five Player of the Year prizes he has won in previous spells with Bassett during which he netted 69 times in 156 games. Having previously collected the Manager's and Players' Player awards in 2019-20 and Supporters' Player of the Year in 2022-23 and 2023-24, he was named Manager’s Player of the Year in 2024-25. He rejoins Bassett having split time last year between Fairford Town and Corsham Town.
Forward
Williams is a tricky young centre forward who has enjoyed a prolific start to his career who returns to Bassett this season. He featured briefly in blue and yellow at the start of the 2025-26 campaign, scoring two goals in 12 appearances before moving to Thatcham Town. Previously Williams spent two prolific seasons at Kintbury Rangers and was their leading scorer with 20 goals in 30 games as Rangers won the 2024-25 Wiltshire League Premier Division title. Prior to Kintbury, Williams played at college in the United States. Featuring for the Harford Fighting Owls from 2020 to 2022, he registered 38 goals and 26 assists in 48 appearances. His performances in 2021 led to him being named a Second Team National Junior College Athletics Asociation Division I All-American.
Forward
Wyatt is a hard working young forward who combines pace, strength and good goalscoring ability. A product of Chippenham Town’s Academy, Wyatt made a handful of substitute appearances for Bassett last season while also appearing briefly for Devizes Town and Melksham Town.
Manager
A Bassett youth section graduate and former senior player, Aitkenhead was appointed as Men’s First Team manager in May 2025, taking on his first managerial role. In his first season, Aitkenhead helped secure Hellenic League Premier Division safety while also guiding Bassett to the Emirates FA Cup first qualifying round. Aitkenhead spent his entire youth career with Bassett, joining as an Under 10, before progressing into senior football with the club, making his debut under Paul Burke in the 2007-08 season when Bassett were in Hellenic League Division One West. He spent most of his career in the Hellenic Premier though, featuring mainly for Shrivenham, Highworth Town - where he was a key part of the team that reached the 2014-15 FA Vase semi finals - and Bassett.
Sponsor: Mark Smedley
Assistant
A former youth section player, Atkin is entering his second season as Bassett’s Men’s First Team assistant manager. He rejoined the club two seasons ago in a coaching capacity in the youth section before taking on the role of assistant to Development team manager Mark Simpkins partway through the 2024-25 campaign. He then joined Jonny Aitkenhead’s staff in 2025-26.
Sponsor: Mark Smedley
Coach
Eggleton is entering his second season as Bassett’s goalkeeper coach. After beginning his playing career with New College, Eggleton spent the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons with Bassett, featuring primarily for the Reserve team while making a few Men’s First Team appearances. He spent a number of years with Highworth Town and also featured for Shrivenham in the Hellenic League.
Sponsor: Rab Macleod
Coach
A vastly experienced, UEFA-B licensed coach, Hopkins returns to Bassett this season as Men's First Team coach. As a player, Hopkins featured for - and captained - Bassett in the early 2000s while Pete Yeardley was manager. He also had higher level playing experience with the likes of Nuneaton Borough and Yate Town. As well as previously serving in a coaching role for Bassett, Hopkins managed New College and was assistant manager at Shrivenham during both club's time in the Hellenic League.
Sponsor: Bellinger Financial Planning
Coach
Warren joined Bassett’s Men’s First Team coaching staff in the 2024-25 season after spending most of the past previous years in charge of the club’s Under 18 Floodlit team. Warren has been with the club for more than a decade, beginning as a manager in Bassett’s youth section. He took over the Under 18 Floodlit team in 2020-21, guiding them to a sixth place finish in the Wiltshire League Floodlit Division. Bassett then achieved consecutive runners-up finishes under Warren’s guidance in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He remained in charge of the team at the start of the 2023-24 campaign, stepping down from his role as manager part way through, though the Under 18s would again finish in second place. During Warren’s tenure, numerous players have made the step up from the Under 18s into Bassett’s Men’s First and Development teams.
Sponsor: Maundrell and Co Ltd
Therapist
Kara is an experienced sports therapist who has been with the club for over a decade and a half, helping Bassett’s Men’s First Team ever since Paul Burke was manager. The daughter of Life Member Roger Williamson, Kara has - and continues to be - a fantastic servant of the club. She possesses a Higher National Diploma in Sports and Exercise Therapy from the University of Plymouth and a BSc in Sports Conditioning and Coaching from Hartpury College. Kara manages and owns KG Sports Massage and Injury Therapy - based at the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground. In her spare time, Kara is a keen runner - and completed the 2024 London Marathon.
Therapist
Hannah is an experienced sports massage therapist and personal trainer who joined Bassett last season. Hannah is currently at university studying towards a degree in Sports Therapy with a view to then completing a Master’s degree in physiotherapy.
Sponsor: Pawsome Pet Foods
Analyst
Bringing experience from the professional game, Parsons is entering his second season with Bassett in an analyst role. From 2013 to 2017 Parsons served as Swindon Town's Head of Academy Performance Analysis, working primarily with their Under 18 and 21 squads. He then spent five years as Forest Green Rovers' Head of Performance Analysis from 2017 to 2022 before joining Bristol City where he was Lead First Team Performance Analyst for two seasons from 2022 to 2024.
Sponsor: Scott Twine