Greenwich Borough striker Jack Barham: My aspirations are to be playing League football next season and I believe that the ability I have and the determination will get me into the League

GREENWICH BOROUGH striker Jack Barham says he is determined to land himself a contract at a Football League club next season.

The 21-year-old, who lives in Rayleigh in Essex, remains focused in securing his dream move after having trials with Championship club Millwall and League Two side Cambridge United this season.

Reflecting on his time at Phoenix Sports at the start of the season, Barham said: “My time at Phoenix was good.  It was important for me to get a good pre-season under my belt as last season I had a few injuries but I managed to get a pre-season and I started the season really well.  They gave me an opportunity to express myself and play every game.

“I left phoenix because I felt the service I was getting was poor and I felt like I was getting goals only through hard work and scraps.

“I joined Greenwich Borough because of their style of football they play and also their great coaching staff.

“When Gary Alexander left (on 4 January) it was hard for me as he was doing extra sessions with me during the week and with him being a striker (when he used to play), he gave me good advice and done specific sessions to develop me so yeah I was gutted when he left!”

“I think for Paul Barnes to come in and keep the same squad, with a few additions, was really tough but I’m glad he’s come in and carried on from where Gary left off.”

Greenwich Borough announced last night that chairman Perry Skinner has decided to step down from the role, leaving an air of uncertainty at Middle Park Avenue.

“Perry stepping down was a bit of a shock as when Gary left he seemed like he was staying and wanted us to win the league so to see him steeping down was a big shock,” admitted Barham.

Greenwich Borough are in the top-five in the Bostik South Division table with 67 points from 35 games and have 11 games left to cement their play-off place.

Lewes are top on 74 points from 34 games and Corinthian-Casuals are in second-place with 72 points from 36 games.

The four sides that occupy the play-off places are Carshalton Athletic (71 points from 34 games), Cray Wanderers (69 points from 36 games), Greenwich Borough and Walton Casuals (66 points from 35 games).

Barham said: “I think the squad we have now and the moral of the squad I have every intention that we will get in the play-offs, if not win the league.  The squad we have is well above this standard of football.

“This season I have managed to bag myself 23 goals (21 in the league). My aim is to get to 30 league goals and I believe in myself that I will achieve that.”

Reflecting on his two trials earlier in the season, Barham said: “The trial at Millwall was with their under 23s and for me I don’t really want to play 23s. 

“I have aspirations of playing first team football wherever I go and I think the age I am now I shouldn’t be going in to under 23s football but nevertheless it was a real good opportunity for me to go into a Championship side and I did train a few times and the first team as well, with the likes of Steve Morrison, Lee Gregory and Aiden O’Brian so it was a real, good experience for me.

“When I went to Cambridge I went straight in with the first team and I had two training sessions and a game.  I genuinely thought I had managed to bag myself a contract there as the manager really liked me and said he would try his best to get me something but being the situation that their club is in and also it was down to the board at Cambridge I didn’t manage to get something but they are still keeping an eye on me and the summer will be interesting.

“My aspirations are to be playing League football next season and I believe that the ability I have and the determination will get me into the League next season.

“I see myself as determined and hard-working and I always like to challenge myself in life and I always push myself to the max.  I’m the sort of person that you’d never like to come up against in any type of situation.”

When asked what he currently does for a living, Barham revealed: “I work for my family granite company and I’ve been working there since playing football semi-pro as it fits nicely around my football and if I need to get time off I can.”

If Saturday’s trip to Sittingbourne does escape the grasp of the wintry spell, the Brickies are in sixteenth-place in the table with 42 points in the bag from 33 league games.

Aslan Odev has lost both of his games in charge of the club since replacing Nick Davis, going down to a 2-1 home defeat to East Grinstead Town, before coming away from Corinthian-Casuals with a 3-1 defeat last Saturday.

Sittingbourne go into the Woodstock Park clash on a back of four defeats on the spin.

Visit Greenwich Borough’s website: www.greenwichboroughfc.co.uk

Sittingbourne  v  Greenwich Borough
Bostik South Division
Saturday 3 March 2018
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Woodstock Park, Broadaok Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8AG