You have a lot of teams in that league spending a lot of money this season. It’s never an easy league. It wasn’t last year and it won’t be this year, says Cray Valley boss Kevin Watson

CRAY VALLEY (Paper Mills) manager Kevin Watson says he wants everybody at the club to enjoy the new season.

The Millers completed their Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division campaign in sixth-place last season and were humbled by a brilliant Balham side in the London Senior Cup Final at Hendon, going down to a 4-1 defeat on 9 May, to lose their title having beaten Metropolitan Police in last year’s Final.

When asked what his aspirations are for the new season, Watson replied: “To be successful, for the players to enjoy it, for those that work hard around the club to enjoy it.

“You have a lot of teams in that league spending a lot of money this season.  It’s never an easy league. It wasn’t last year and it won’t be this year.

“If I’m putting pressure on myself, I haven’t got an excuse this season. I probably had a bit of an excuse last season because I inherited a team. This is my team of my choice, but we’ll see.

“I’m not making no promises, there’s no guarantees in football is there. One of the challenges of playing at the level that we’re playing at is to be successful you have to win most of your games.”

Cray Valley kick-off their campaign with a trip to Phoenix Sports Reserves to contest the Roy Vinter Shield on Friday night (19:45).

The two sides won the respect award for each division and will contest the silverware instead of the League champions and Challenge Cup winners, which last season were Sevenoaks Town and Whitstable Town, whom are both preparing for life in the Bostik South East Division.

Visit Cray Valley’s website: www.cray-valley.co.uk