I'm confident that I've left the club in a safe pair of hands, says Terry Naden

TERRY NADEN says the time was right to part-company with Eltham Palace after five successful seasons in charge of the club.



Eltham Palace completed their inaugural Kent Invicta League campaign in tenth-place and finished off their season with a disappointing 3-0 home defeat to Seven Acre & Sidcup last night.

Assistant manager Paul Mann, 32, took charge of the team one last time, but failed to prevent their opponents finishing in fifth-place with the three points.

Former Erith Town winger James Hawkins scored 12 seconds after the break to give Chris Tuley’s side the lead, before impressive striker Troy Copeland added two further goals at Green Court Road.

Seven Acre & Sidcup were denied victory in the Erith Hospitals Cup Final when Charlton-based Meridian won 2-0 at Park View Road tonight, courtesy of two second half goals from Danny Twin and Dean McDonald.

“The time is right for everyone involved for me to leave the club,” said Naden, 33.

“I had contemplated resigning before the start of this season but I left it too late to get anyone else in and so having been promoted to the Invicta League, I felt it would be unfair on the boys that had worked so hard to get us there, for me to leave them in the lurch.”

Naden revealed that Eltham Palace is like no other club in the Kent Invicta League.

“Palace is a funny club for the level we’re at,” he said.  “I’ve gone on record before as saying we’re a bunch of mates that have progressed well but we really are exactly that!

“The club has no infrastructure off the field.  I had some additional help this year with the appointment of a secretary, Liam Kelly and fixtures secretary Kate Lewis and whilst both of them helped enormously the responsibility and accountability for the whole club remained mine.

“Outside of match days, I have done pretty much all the off-the-field stuff, producing, printing and stapling the programme, the website, the twitter feed, washed the kit, organised training facilities, obtained sponsorship, everything!

“That has a shelf-life, there’s only so long you can continue to run and to progress without an infrastructure and so as well the boys have done on the field, we, the club, me essentially, couldn’t help them with that progression off  it.

“When visiting opposing grounds this year, there were five or six people involved doing the same for those clubs as I was doing for ours and in the end it all got too much.  I was even manning the gates at some of our home games!

“I’ve loved my time with Palace. We’ve had a top, top bunch of lads involved and it’s been a pleasure to be part of the success that we’ve seen.

“I started as assistant manager to Tony Rirovato in 2006/07.  Tony left during the middle of the 2008-09 season so I took over and appointed Mannings (Paul Mann) as my assistant.

“We finished in the top half that season then had three promotions in as many seasons to ultimately reach the Kent Invicta League last year, so it’s been great and I’d personally like to thank Paul, Keith (my coach this year) and the boys that have been with me all the way through as well as others that have come and gone along the way.”

But Eltham Palace’s players have struggled to adapt to playing in the Kent Invicta League – Mann revealed last night that the team haven’t trained at all since October and a number of players were carrying extra weight.

“This year we’ve struggled to compete on the pitch and whilst the league table doesn’t lie in terms of performances throughout the year, we’re better than a tenth-place finish, I’ve no doubt about that,” insisted Naden.

“That said I think the boys can be proud of what we’ve achieved in the first year at this level, with the resources we’ve got.

“I think we’re one of, if not the only club in the league that still charge subs and so this year was always going to prove difficult given that other clubs were handing out envelopes in our bar after the game whilst I was collecting tenners off each player!”

Naden confirmed that the club will maintain their Kent Invicta League status and will continue to play at their base at Green Court Road in Crockenhill next season.

He revealed: “There is a new management team coming in which we will announce at the right time and for me it’s an exciting time for the club who will, for the time being, continue to play at Green Court.

“An injection of energy and new ideas can only be positive and I wish them all the best of luck as they take off from where we left.

“We’ve left the club in a decent on-the-field position and I’m confident I’ve left the club in a safe pair of hands.

“As for me? Who knows. I’ve had a couple of offers from clubs but nothing that excites me enough to take it any further.

“I may just take some time out and enjoy watching the game locally, we’ll see.

“I’m still young in managers terms so don’t need to rush into anything, but if something comes in that interests me, I’ll throw myself at it again.”

Naden added: “A final note from me would just be to say a massive thank you to everyone that’s helped and even those that have tried to hinder us because they’ve provided challenges and obstacles that we’ve had to learn from and develop.

“I’m proud to say I’ve had five fantastic, successful years as manager of Eltham Palace and we’ve left a lot of clubs behind!

“Of course my thanks goes to all my players but I have to say the biggest thank you to Mannings, who’s been with me every step of the way, in the dug-out, on the phone and in many pubs we’ve had a beer or two in throughout it all.

“I really couldn’t have done what I have without him nor would I have chosen anyone else to do it with.

“So good luck to Palace and all the lads as we all embark on a new challenge. It’s been emotional!”

Mann, who has recently hit the headlines for all of the wrong reasons this month, is sorry to be leaving the club after playing his part in it’s rise up from Sunday League football.

He said: “Myself and Tel aren’t going to be connected with the team next year, probably a few of the older lads who have been with us from day one were probably  playing their last game (last night).

“From where we’ve come from, ten-years ago being a Sunday pub side to coming into the South London Alliance Premier, through the Kent County League’s to this, it’s been a remarkable journey among friends.

“It wouldn’t have been satisfying if it hadn’t been amongst friends all the time.  In games that have been hard at the time, probably not this level if I’m honest, being friends has got us through games and has made us win games.

“You have to have 11 good players at this level to win games.  We’ve probably gone as far as the friendship and that was where it’s started and unfortunately where it’s ended, a game playing amongst friends.

Mann revealed the new management team will take the club to another level.

He said: “Well me and Tel are personally stepping aside. Someone’s coming in and they’ve got youth football academies and they want a platform to ply their first team trade with.

“If some of our younger but experienced players at this level stay, I hope six or seven maybe would, with fresh legs and training and reserve team, players putting pressure on players for their places, I think next season they can look to push on.”

When asked about his own plans for next season, Mann added: “I’d like to come down if the boys stay here and watch the boys or maybe play vets, depending on the severity of my case with The FA.

“I’m not sure what Tel’s plans are.  For me Tel is a great manager and he deserves to be at a better club where he doesn’t have to worry about the everyday raising of subs and things like that and the other.  I think Tel can go to a higher level.”