Hollands & Blair boss Paul Piggott: I think we deserve to be where we are. We’ve worked hard to get there so we’ll work even harder to make sure we stay there

HOLLANDS & BLAIR manager Paul Piggott says the club will have everything in place if they win promotion into the Ryman League.

 

The Gillingham based club were playing in the Rochester & District League in 2010 and are on the verge of winning promotion into the Ryman League at the end of the season if they win the Southern Counties East Football League title in April.

Blair are sitting proudly at the top of the table on 51 points from 21 games – five points clear of big-spending Greenwich Borough.

When asked whether the club will have their Star Meadow ground at Darland Avenue up to scratch in time of the end of March deadline, Piggott replied: “Yes, the work’s being done as we speak!

“We’ve got some toilets that are being built at the moment. We’ve got a stand that’s being built at the moment so it will be delivered in the next few weeks so the works being done, so the club’s backing the players, which is good.

“If the players do the business the club is doing their part as well.”

The club are fighting tooth and nail with Greenwich Borough to land the golden prize - at the first attempt.

But Piggott insists his club – that have won back-to-back Kent Invicta League titles – are going for it.

“We won’t change anything we do,” said Piggott.

“We won’t change the way we train or the way we play games. We’ve stuttered a little bit, we’ve had a lot of injuries and suspensions this year.

“We’ve got everyone fighting fit so we’re pleased with where we are. 

“We won’t take it (being top of the table) for granted. I think we deserve to be where we are. We’ve worked hard to get there so we’ll work even harder to make sure we stay there.

“We’ve got two very good football clubs (Greenwich Borough and Ashford United) on our tails and they’ll be trying everything they can to win the league but we’ll be doing the same.

“We’re enjoying where we are at the moment and the competition.”

A high percentage of Piggott’s squad this season were playing in the Kent Invicta League last season and are carrying on where they have left off during the past two title-winning seasons.

“All that is credit to the players,” said Piggott.

“The players stick with it when we were struggling to get out of the league below. We knew we had a team that could compete in this league. We knew we wasn’t going to do as good as this – we ain’t going to lie – but the team stuck together.

“We was going to work hard and that’s no different now to the two years we’ve been together, all due respect to them really.”

Hollands & Blair visit local rivals Rochester United on Saturday, a side that are in the bottom three on 21 points from 18 games.

“That will be blood and thunder again, it always is,” warned Piggott, whose side are now 13 games unbeaten.

“They’re on our door step, our local rivals and we’re looking forward to it.

“I think they’ve put a little run together. It’s a nice big pitch there so that will suit us so we’re looking forward to going up there and I’m sure they’ll be giving us a game.”

Visit Hollands & Blair’s website:  www.hollandsandblair.co.uk

Rochester United  v  Hollands & Blair
Southern Counties East Football League
Saturday 16^th January 2016
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Rede Court Road, Strood, Rochester, Kent ME2 3TU