I cannot return to Kent League football, vows Sampson

Tommy Sampson is looking forward to seeing the next generation of FA Vase heroes from Faversham Town, writes James Brown.

Sampson capped a hugely successful career as a manager by masterminding Deal Town's historic victory over Chippenham in the last final to be played under Wembley's Twin Towers.

But he readily admits the epic march to the world famous old stadium would not have been possible but for two Faversham Town old boys, Terry Martin and Roly Graham.

Martin was in his early 20s when he won the Kent League with the Lilywhites and went on to lift the Vase as skipper of Deal Town in 2000 - an epic encounter that saw Graham bag the late winner.

Sampson has backed Faversham Town's revival since it started in 2004 and even donated a valuable boxed set of programmes from the last year at Wembley to help the fund-raising effort.

And he cannot wait to see Terry Cordice's new-look side in action for the first time this season when the new Kent League leaders take on Whitstable Town at Salters Lane on Wednesday next week.

First, the Lilywhites face a tough trip to Eastbourne United and Association in Cordice's first outing in the FA Vase as a manager.

Sampson knows Eastbourne well having taken a coaching role at fellow Sussex side Horsham YMCA and sees no reason why Town cannot progress to the second qualifying round later this month.

He said: "It's a tough place to go but I'm sure TC and the lads are capable of getting the win they need. I have been keeping an eye on Faversham's results and I will be there next week for the derby against Whitstable.

"I saw Town last season against Lewisham Borough and it'll be good to see how far they've progressed. They've had some great results already this year.

"Obviously, the FA Vase is very special to me. It still gives me goose bumps when I think about it. I was so proud of my players."

None more so than Martin and match-winner Graham who both played senior football for Faversham Town before linking up with Sampson at Herne Bay and then Deal.

Sampson explained: "Terry Martin was the best player I ever signed. He was the most respected player in the Kent League when he joined me at the age of 22 - and he'd already won the Kent League with Faversham by then.

"But if Terry was my best signing then Roly was definitely my luckiest. I signed him after going to watch another player in a match between Lordswood and Norton Sports.

"This lad didn't impress me but Roly certainly did and I managed to persuade him to come down and play for me. His winner at Wembley was his 101st goal for me.

"He lives in Australia now but we stay in touch. In fact, he's back this Christmas and we are planning a game of golf. I also see Terry regularly. They're both great lads."

Sampson revealed that the wide open nature of Eastbourne United and Association's stadium could play a role on Saturday.

He said: "I could lie and say it's a great place to play football but it isn't. It's all very open down there with a running track round the outside and when the wind blows, it really blows.

"We had a game down there last season that we had to win. Thankfully, we did that but it can be a difficult place to play."

Cordice has had Eastbourne watched by a work colleague who lives in Sussex and will go into his Vase debut with a set gameplan. And Sampson believes that is the only way to achieve success in the competition.

He said: "It took me eight or nine years to finally crack the FA Vase. I wouldn't be one to tell TC what to do now but what I will say is that I reckon it's essential to have the opposition watched.

"That way you avoid the nasty surprises. I was lucky in that I had a chairman at Deal Town who would pay for my travel and overnight accommodation.

"That was great. It enabled us to check out all our opponents. We knew all their strengths and weaknesses by match day.

"I remember one time we sent one of my backroom team, Keith Lissenden, to Crook which is the other side of Darlington. The only problem was the referee called the game off at 2pm!

"You have to get through the first three or four rounds, get your confidence and then push on when the competition goes national in January.

"Then you have the likes of the Daily Telegraph and The Times knocking on your door. It does wonders for the profile of your club. The story of Faversham Town's rebirth will go nationwide - that's the prize you're aiming for."

Sampson revealed that the FA Vase triumph follows him wherever he goes.

He explained: "It's your 15 minutes of fame - and I've managed to make that last a number of years!

"People mention it practically every day. They all want to know what is was like and the answer's always the same - it was fantastic.

"That year I was nominated as one of the top six non-league managers in the country and no one will take that away from me.

"However, people are always surprised to learn that the highlight of our FA Vase run that year was not the final but the second leg of the semi-final against Newcastle Town.

"Now I know Faversham Town have been getting some decent crowds and that is so important to managers. So you can imagine how proud I was when 3,500 turned out to watch that game. It was incredible."

But for all his success in Kent, Sampson is happy at Horsham - a side he helped to promotion last season. Indeed, he has vowed NEVER to manage in the Kent League again.

He said: "I have been offered four Kent League jobs in the last year but I simply cannot go back. I will never manage in the Kent League again and that is nothing to do with the jobs I've been offered or the league itself.

"It's just the fact that I could never top what I have achieved with Herne Bay and Deal. My teams have won the title four times, won two senior trophies and two league cups.

"Then there are all the memories of the Vase run to Wembley. No, I'm happy at Horsham but I'll always retain an interest and one thing is for certain - Faversham's result is the first one I'll be looking for on Saturday. Best of luck to TC and the lads."