I had no ambitions whatsoever to be a manager, admits rookie Tony Russell

Sunday 17th October 2010

ERITH TOWN manager Tony Russell says he is on the hunt for new players ahead of their home game against local rivals VCD Athletic, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Dockers squandered some good chances in Russell’s first game in charge (following Steve O’Boyle’s resignation) during the controversial Kent League game away to Beckenham Town last week.

With striker Leroy Huggins defecting to Chatham Town, Erith Town played Rikki Cable as a lone striker during the 2-0 defeat at Eden Park Avenue, but Russell, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk revealed he is on the look out for fresh blood.

“Well, first of all we need to go and bring in a couple of players,” said O’Boyle’s number two, who was appointed as manager at a meeting following O’Boyle’s shock departure.

“I’ve already spoken to a few, I’ll definitely bring a forward in as you could see (against Beckenham) we created loads and loads of chances and we didn’t put the ball in the net.

“We need to get a goalscorer, obviously they’re at a premium and are at clubs but we have to work hard and see if we can bring one in.”

Russell is re-united against some familiar faces when VCD Athletic visit the Erith Sports Stadium on Wednesday night.

Ricky Bennett has enjoyed a decent start to his first managerial job and has led the Crayford side to third place in the Safety Net Associates Kent League table, with 17 points from 8 games, just two points adrift of leaders Beckenham Town, who have now won their last six league games.

“I went to watch them the other week against Sporting Bengal and I know Ricky and the Wood brothers from the Cray days,” said Russell.

“They’re a good club, what happened to them in the summer (when they were demoted from the Ryman League due to ground grading issues), but they bounced back.

“They’ve got a few youngsters in there as well as Jamie and Lewis, who are top drawer players but to be fair if I keep everyone, I don’t fear no-one.

“If we play well, we’ll be hard to beat.”

The 32-year-old, meanwhile, has admitted that management has come earlier than he expected.

“This time last year I was player-coach at Thamesmead and I had no ambitions whatsoever to be a manager,” admitted Russell.

“I’ve done my coaching badges and I do believe I’m a good coach. I never thought about the managing side of it and Steve (O’Boyle) spoke to me in the summer and asked me to be his number two and I still wasn’t sure and he convinced me and I’ve come in.

“It’s not something I went for but it’s come about and it is what it is and like Steve I worked my nuts off to get all these players to the club. We sat down with everyone we brought in - 12 new players in as well as the boys that we’re already here and I sold them something and they chose us over other clubs.

“We’ve worked hard in training, on our shape and how we’re going to play, and me and Steve had put a hell of a lot of work into this team. We just don’t play like that by accident.

“The boys have worked their nuts off in training so I just felt I didn’t want somebody else to come in and ruin what we just done. I wanted to put our mark on it and to be fair if we go on and do something season, if we win something, I can still have a drink with Steve at the end of the season and say he had a massive part in it.”

Visit Erith Town’s website: www.erithtownfc.co.uk

Erith Town v VCD Athletic

Safety Net Associates Kent League

Wednesday 21st October 2010

Kick Off 7:30pm

At Erith Stadium, Avenue Road, Erith, Kent DA8 3AT