I've got to learn on the job, admits new Dockers' boss O'Boyle

STEVE O’BOYLE admits he hasn’t had much time to prepare for his first game in charge of Erith Town - he hasn‘t had any, writes Stephen McCartney.

The 31-year-old left Thamesmead Town at the end of May, where he won three successive reserve team titles to join Holmesdale as coach.

But he accepted an offer to become the Dockers’ manager after Mark Tompkins quit the club last Wednesday.

Erith Town’s opening game is against new-look Greenwich Borough on Monday night - the first game of the club’s two-year deal groundsharing Thamesmead’s Bayliss Avenue ground.

O’Boyle, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, spoke about his last few hectic days.

“I got a phone call from (Erith Town chairman) Albert (Putman), asking if I’d like to sit down and have a chat,” he said.

“I spoke to the committee (at Erith Town) on Wednesday night and they offered me the job.

“I rang (Holmesdale manager) Tony (Beckingham) up to clear it, Tony gave me his best wishes, and then I rang Albert back that night and agreed to take the club on.

“I spoke to all the Erith boys on Thursday on a one-to-one basis and 90% what I got back was positive.”

Striker Lewis Wood, who Tompkins brought to the club from Cray Wanderers last week, has also left rapidly.

And O’Boyle said: “I’d like to wish him all the best in the future. I know he’s a good goalscorer and a club will snap him up.

O’Boyle hasn’t had much time to prepare for tomorrow night’s opening Bulmers Cider Kent League opener against Greenwich Borough.

He said: “Obviously (I made a) lot of phone calls on Thursday and Friday, had an hour yesterday with the players on the training pitch and had a good, positive response from them and that’s about it.”

He added: “I’ve got to say, it someone had offered me that job ten minutes before the first game, I would have taken it!”

“It’s a very good club, good committee, familiar surroundings and the club are looking to progress.”

O’Boyle is thankful that his side’s first game was planned for tomorrow night, giving him the opportunity to meet and greet the Dockers’ playing squad.

But it appears that former Margate defender Bill Edwards, who was part of Tompkins’ coaching staff, has left the club.

But O’Boyle said: “I’ve got to say Billy Edwards came down yesterday and ran down the team with me for tomorrow night.

“Bill just came down as a favour for Albert to help me out as I don’t know 80% of the side. He came down, he didn’t have to, but I appreciate that.”

But O’Boyle has already brought in a new coach, with another one to follow in the next few days.

“I’ve got to learn on the job,” he admits. “I’ve brought in a coach, Ray Bagnall, who was with Greenwich Borough last year and I’m hoping to fill in the assistant manager’s role early next week.”

All eyes will be on tomorrow night’s game at Bayliss Avenue as the stunned Dockers take on a very young and inexperienced Greenwich Borough side.

“Obviously I don’t know too much about them,” admits O’Boyle, “They’ve had a decent pre-season and tomorrow night’s game should be interesting.

“All I can ask for tomorrow night is the boys to turn up with a smile on their faces. They should do anyway as it’s the first game of the season. Play well as a team and hopefully as we walk off the pitch we have a result at the end of it.

“I think there might be a bit of a big crowd. I’ve had a lot of phone calls and people saying that their coming down.”

O’Boyle, who left Holmesdale on good terms, added: “I do wish Holmesdale, as a club, all the best. They’re a very good club and I do hope they push on this season.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk  will be covering this match.

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

Visit Greenwich Borough's website:  www.greenwichboroughfc.co.uk

Erith Town v Greenwich Borough
Bulmers Cider Kent League
Monday 11^th August 2008
Kick Off 7:30pm
At Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London SE28 8NJ