Help us become an established Ryman League side, says Chatham boss Miles - EXCLUSIVE

Chatham Town are currently in the process of an “advertising boost” in a bid to enhance their potential, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Maidstone Road club have sent out letters to local businesses in an attempt to raise awareness and finances.

“We’re doing an advertising boost to the local companies in Medway, regarding sponsorship,” revealed manager Phil Miles, speaking EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“We’re looking at anybody in the Medway towns - or anywhere - getting people involved.

“To grow as a club we are looking for more help, local businessmen getting involved and push Chatham on a little bit.

“It would be nice if there’s someone wanting to get involved to bolster our financial position because there’s a lot of businesses out there that may want to support the club, even if it’s a small thing of sponsoring a player for £75.”

Miles admitted that the council owning their ground at Maidstone Road - and pitch maintenance - is a major stumbling block.

The Faversham born boss says that the pitch has to be improved to entice higher league clubs to Medway to play lucrative pre-season friendlies.

He added: “We want to build the club, it would be nice if someone with lots of money would come in and invest in the club.”

But he warned: “If one person is putting the money in, once that one person was to leave, it puts the club in a lot of mess.”

“We’ve done a push, put letters out. I still believe we could build the club up. We’ve got some good people behind the scenes.

“We’re a stable club, not in debt to anyone. Because of our financial capabilities we keep it reasonable.

“We’re looking at the moment to bring in new faces, new people with new ideas.

“We’ve had two or three responses for advertising boards around the pitch, we’ve brought in advertising there.

“It doesn’t matter where they’re from. If people want to get involved in a non-league club and bring something to the club, not just financially, but to also help out with the match day running of the club.”

With more financial pulling power, Miles believes he can turn the Medway side into a top ten Ryman League Division One South outfit.

“I believe that we’re a better side than our league position showed last year and I even think our league position this year we’re a better side,” he said.

“But what we’ve got to learn more, and quickly, we need to be more consistent in the league, having beaten Dover, Kingstonian, Metropolitan Police and drawing Tooting & Mitcham.

“Yes, we perform against the top sides but not against the teams around us.

“Because I watch my team play and train every week, I know we can beat anyone and we’ve prove that, but because we’re a young and inexperienced side, consistency is a big word for us.”

“Consistency, if we can do that, we could stabilise as one of the top ten sides in this league.”

Chatham are a club that lose their best players, strikers Frannie Collin (Gillingham and now at Dover Athletic) and Brendon Cass (now scoring goals for fun at Dartford) being prime examples, but rely on home-grown talent.

“We’re looking at that centre forward who will give you 20-25 goals a season and I’m sure as we progress as a club and a team maybe one of those centre forwards will become available for us,” said Miles.

“I don’t want people to talk about us as a bottom four side. I want people to say we’re a well established Ryman League (Division One South) side.

“These players I’ve got around me at the moment could be at the club for the next three or four seasons, so hopefully we can build on it.

“I’m in close contact with the reserve and youth team managers. I’ve signed two or three players from the reserves and we have kids in the under 18s and under 16s that potentially we are looking at them being first team players in the next two or three seasons, maybe earlier.”

If anyone can assist the club - either financially or in manpower - the club are playing local rivals Sittingbourne tonight - please visit the boardroom and make yourself known.

Visit Chatham Town’s website: www.chathamtownfc.co.uk.

Chatham Town v Sittingbourne
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 30^th October 2007
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Maidstone Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 6ES