Everyone is confident that we will turn things around going into the New Year, says Lewisham Borough boss Ray Simpson

LEWISHAM BOROUGH boss Ray Simpson admits it’s been a disappointing season so far but is keen to turn around fortunes going into the New Year.

The club are sitting at the foot of the Kent Invicta League table, having won one and drawn one of their 16 league games and have claimed the tag of perennial strugglers.

Tomorrow, Lewisham Borough host eleventh-placed league debutants Forest Hill Park in a game billed as the Ladywell Arena Derby.

“I’m looking forward to the Ladywell Arena Derby tomorrow as I missed the first match in September as I was away on business,” said Simpson.

“Forest Hill won the match and deserved the victory on the day.”

Lewisham Borough, whose coaching team of Ben Kotey and Martin West resigned in mid-October without any explanation, have been struggling in the relegation zone all season.   

“We decided to go down the road of having a management team of four, consisting of myself, George Davis, Ricky Nestfield and Stuart Palmer which combines youth and experience,” explained Simpson.

“I felt this was the best way forward for us to bring out the best of the playing personnel who with the exception of one have all decided to stay.

“We have some very good players who just needed to be managed well in order to bring out the best in them.”

Simpson has combined his chairman and joint-managerial duties and the side have lost five of their six games, drawing the other.

He said: “Even though over the last month results may not have shown this, performances, confidence and team spirit has certainly improved.

“Everyone is confident that we will turn things around going into the New Year.”

Behind the scenes, Simpson is also delighted that the hard work undertaken by the club will shortly be paying dividends with a 100-seater stand expected to be in place at the Arena by March 2016.

“I asked my vice-chairman Annette Stead to lead on this project and she has done a remarkable job,” said Simpson.

“I’m about to sign an agreement with a well-established junior club in Lewisham who will as from next season form the Lewisham Borough (Community) FC Academy. 

“In addition we are also putting things in place to have a women’s team as part of the club.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s crunch Lewisham battle, Simpson added: “Forest Hill Park have had a good start to their season and clearly will be confident having already beaten us.

“It really is great having two Lewisham based clubs competing at this level and playing out of the magnificent Ladywell Arena,” said Simpson.

“The season so far has been disappointing in terms of results and resignations but the positives far outweigh the negatives overall.”

Simpson revealed that he has a full strength squad available for tomorrow’s clash.

Lewisham Borough  v  Forest Hill Park
Pain & Glory Sports Kent Invicta League
Saturday 28^th November 2015
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Ladywell Arena, Silvermere Road, Catford, London SE6 4QX