It's all quiet on the Kentish transfer front

Saturday 24th June 2006

Having read several forums over the past few days it’s very clear that supporters of our Kent sides are desperate to hear some news from their clubs, writes Stephen McCartney.

Experience tells you that managers are constantly on the telephone speaking to players to persuade them to sign – or to start pre-season training with them.

Players like to listen to as many offers before deciding which club is best for them.

Some of them drift from club to club during pre-season, training and playing friendly matches before signing for the club most suited to their needs.

Managers like to keep the identity of new faces very close to their chests and only unveil them to the outside world once they’ve got the security of players signing on the dotted line – contracts or league forms.

Once they’ve got that security they feel confident that they can unveil their new signings.

But if they shout from the rooftops that they’ve signed someone and they haven’t, that just alerts other clubs of that player’s availability and they could lose them.

So until clubs start playing football matches again, or unveil their new signings on their websites, its all quiet on the Kentish (transfer) front.

Fans of Dartford, Folkestone Invicta and Ashford Town seem to be the most desperate for news presently.

Darts boss Tony Burman is currently on holiday but returns tomorrow, so will be contacted then.

But we did speak to Invicta boss Neil Cugley, who admitted things are “very quiet” at Cheriton Road.

But he did reveal: “We’ve got 20 (players) training next week. As you know we never have a big squad at the club, and that includes quite a few from the reserves that deserve to be training for the first team.”

Cugley admitted his club will be facing some tough competition on and off the pitch during their next campaign.

“At a club like ours financially we are indebted to the reserve and youth team players that have come through and done well for us.”

With a lower budget compared to the majority of their Ryman Premier League rivals, what can we expect from Cugley’s men next season?

“Again we will be hard working and well organised,” he replied. “Again in our league you have to do well at home. If you don’t do well at home it becomes hard work.”

With their rivals splashing the cash to bring success, Cugley, although he would like more money to spend, admits Invicta won’t put themselves at risk financially for short-term glory.

“We will carry on with what we are doing,” he said. “We won’t put the club in debt.

“But you can’t blame clubs with money who can go out and get players. We aren’t in that bracket I’m afraid.

“Money always helps. Where we are tucked away, we’ve only got two directors, and it’s a close-knit club.

“I think the players like the club, we’ve got good spirit and gets us through and I think it will get us through next year.”

This will be Folkestone Invicta’s third Ryman Premier League campaign, and Cugley added: “It gets harder each year. I think teams are coming in with a better standard, financially better backed and putting the standard up, which is good.”

Fans often ask why can’t their team travel by coach – the club are sponsored by a coach company – but Cugley explained: “We like the league and we’ve got no problems travelling wise.

“Playing in the old Southern League was costing a lot of money. We travel by car and will continue to do so.

“We could spend money on a coach but you lose money for players. We would rather put money into the team.”

Ashford Town fans, meanwhile, are still waiting confirmation of their pre-season friendlies.

All they know is that their team travel to Tonbridge Angels on Tuesday, 25^th July.

But Homelands chief Tim Thorogood revealed the club have almost completed negotiations with other clubs and should reveal the rest of their warm up matches soon.

But we are all desperate for the team to improve on their last two campaigns, when they finished just one spot above the drop zone.

And Mr Thorogood feels the same and promises some new signings that should improve the club’s fortunes next season.

He said: “We are speaking to people. We’ve got three or four exciting signings but I’m not prepared to disclose them like anyone else.

“Until their done and dusted and got them on the dotted line we’ll keep them close to our chest.”

But he did say he could reveal one or two of his new signings “within a two or three week period”.

Like most clubs, Ashford return to pre-season training in the first week of July, and Mr Thorogood has had “guarantees” from players that played in the Ryman Premier League last season.

Mr Thorogood, meanwhile, won’t be making any predictions on what fans can expect from his side next season, but he added: “Let’s keep our mouths shut and keep it on a football field and let’s see where we can go.”

Jim Ward and his Ramsgate players are enjoying their last Saturday of freedom before they return to pre-season training at Southwood Stadium next Saturday, 1^st July at 12 noon.

The Scotsman invites anyone to their first training session next weekend, but insists they’ll have a job to dislodge their back-to-back champions from the team.

“We start training next Saturday,” he said. “If you fancy your chances you're welcome – anybody’s welcome. Every year we throw the gates open and you’re surprised who turns up.

“We’ve got six trailists that are coming down. We’ve signed the two lads, Warren Waugh (from Leatherhead) and Ryan Barnard (Cheshunt) so there’s a couple of new faces but obviously the first thing they’ve got to do is get the shirts off people that have already got them.”

This time last year the Rams were preparing for life in the Ryman League first division having just won the Kent League title.

But the Southwood Stadium outfit clinched their second successive championship, reached the first round of the FA Cup and had a decent run in the FA Trophy in what was a great season.

“Even though we’re going up to a higher division I still feel the squad I’ve got next year will do Ramsgate proud,” said Ward.

“We can only play the people in front of us. Luckily enough the last two seasons we’ve been more than a match for anybody.

“So it’s just really exciting. We’ve got more professional behind the scenes. We’ve appointed Jason Leppard (new reserve team manager), Gary Finnis and Aaron Perry have come in as youth development officers and the whole place is buzzing.”

So if players want to be plucked out of obscurity to become Ryman Premier League stars, Ward will give you a chance to shine.

“Everyone that Danny (Ward) and I feel warrants a chance will get a chance,” said the Rams’ boss.

“Somebody always comes from the pack and surprises you.

“But what we’ve got to do is get off to the same start as we’ve had for the last two years.

“We’ve done fantastically well in the FA Cup and FA Trophy last year and if we can do anywhere as well this year, we’ll be delighted.”

And being in the same league as Thanet neighbours Margate can only be good for the area.

Ward agrees. “Nothing better than competition if it improves the football on the island all the better as far as I’m concerned," he said.

“Margate have got their own views on things but we will always be a local club.

“But I think I’ve already made my best signing this year – Mark Harrop. I think we are a formidable team – it’s a great blend.”

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