It would be nice to get over two thousand at Stonebridge Road, says Fleet boss Steve Brown

EBBSFLEET UNITED manager Steve Brown says he wants Stonebridge Road packed to the rafters against Dorchester Town next Saturday.



The Fleet have decided to allow fans to watch their last league game of the season for FREE, ahead of the Skrill South play-off lottery.

The club were taken over last summer by the KEH Group, who invested heavily in the playing squad and made ground improvements at Stonebridge Road.

Ebbsfleet United may have to settle for a fourth-place finish in Skrill South because their 1-0 win over Eastbourne Borough puts them on 68 points, six points behind Bromley, who were held to a 1-1 draw at relegation threatened Tonbridge Angels yesterday.

Ebbsfleet United travel to fourth-from-bottom Maidenhead United on Easter Monday and Concord Rangers next Thursday, before ending their league campaign with a visit from basement side Dorchester Town.

Maidenhead extended their winless run to three games after losing 3-0 at Farnborough yesterday, but a win over The Fleet could potentially relegate Tonbridge Angels, who are managed by former Gravesend & Northfleet defender Tommy Warrilow.

Meanwhile, Brown wants the club to attract their largest crowd of the season for Saturday’s free match against Dorchester Town, who have won only eight league games this season and have collected 30 points and are expected to play Southern Premier League football next season.

“I think expectations are if you’ve got a free Saturday afternoon and we’re letting everybody in for free then come along and have a watch, said Brown, 41, who played for only two clubs (Charlton Athletic and Reading) during his 15 year playing career.

“Hopefully by then things will have panned out in our favour and it will be lovely.

“One thing that stuck out this year when we played Dartford here in that FA Cup game and having 2,895 supporters here this place was a different place.

“We have a hardcore fan base of 850-900, it creeps up to one thousand from time to time and they’re brilliant supporters in coming here every week, paying their money and watching the team.

“But it would be nice to get over a thousand week in week out and if we can find new blood and if we can bring in 1,500 and if we can get a crowd against Dorchester of 2,000 and Stonebridge Road is a completely different atmosphere, so that will be nice for the players, the club, supporters and hopefully it will be a game that cements us in a play-off place.”

The Fleet lock horns with bitter rivals Dover Athletic at Gillingham’s Preistfield Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday, 5 May to contest the 125^th Kent Senior Cup Final.

Dover Athletic leapfrogged over Havant & Waterlooville into fifth-place in the Skrill South following their 2-1 win at Concord Rangers yesterday.

Kent’s showpiece Cup Final could distract both clubs because the second leg of the play-off semi-final takes place on Saturday 3 May, with the play-off final taking place seven days later.

“It could be in a better position but nevertheless it’s a Kent Senior Cup Final.  All I can say is you don’t get to a final and go in and not try your very best to win it,” said Brown.

“We will try our very best to win that. Unfortunately there could be a distraction or two either side of it so it’s not ideal.

“Depending where Dover finish they could be in the same boat as us or the cup final could be everything for them.

“I just have to weigh it up when we get there.

“I want to secure a play-off place first. The Kent Senior Cup, as much as I know I’m in it and I’ve got to play it, it really isn’t important yet until we secure that play-off spot, which I want to do as soon as possible.”

Both Brown and Dover Athletic boss Chris Kinnear have the option to field younger squads for the Kent Senior Cup Final if both clubs are contesting the Skirll South play-off Final.

“You’re either on a high because you’ve won the semi-final and you’re looking forward to the (play-off) final, or on an absolute low because you’ve gone out two days before and your promotion hopes have gone so it’s not ideal where it’s at.

“But it’s always been there, that position, May 5^th has always been in place and the Kent FA weren’t to know we would possibly be in the play-offs.

“They know the play-offs were there, but it’s a tad unlucky I suppose that two of the teams that are in the final could potentially be in the play-offs.”

Visit Ebbsfleet United’s website: www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk