Kentish Football 
My job is to produce Conference quality players, says Docker - EXCLUSIVE
Wednesday 25th October 2006
Ian Docker was delighted that his Gravesend & Northfleet team booked their place in the first round proper of the FA Youth Cup last night, writes Stephen McCartney. The Fleet have sailed into the first round proper of the competition after beating Chatham Town (9-0), Erith & Belvedere (6-0), Sevenoaks Town
(6-3) and winning 5-1 against a brave Tonbridge Angels side at a foggy Betterview Longmead Stadium last night.
Praising his free-scoring side, Docker said in an EXCLUSIVE interview with www.kentishfootball.co.uk after their win: “It’s not just the goalscorers it’s the people that set them up.
”We do try to play attacking football, when it’s on. I’m more concerned though that we’ve conceded some goals.”
The Fleet should breeze past their next opponents in the first round proper to reach the second round – at least.
“We were very lucky last year,” he recalled. “We played against Wycombe Wanderers and got beat in the 92nd minute and their manager, John Gorman was my youth team manager at Gillingham.
”He have us a lot of praise which was really nice, but it’s nice to get a League club.
“I don’t know too much about the two clubs but if we do our job properly and hopefully in the round after we’ll end up with a League club.”
But Docker is delighted that first team boss Liam Daish is inviting some of his players to train with the first team squad.
”We had a reserve match today against Grays Athletic and four or five players would have played in but Liam has very kindly let these players play (against Tonbridge).
”He’s trying to get more games arranged but what we’re trying to do is get the youth team players into first team training.
“John Akinde, Lee Maskell and little Danny Stubbs, playing in first team training is probably better than a reserve game anyway.”
But former Gillingham star Docker feels he has players in his side that are more than capable of following Luke Moore’s footsteps.
“Results are important at this level in our age group but at the end of the day we’ve got to produce players,” said Docker.
”If I can produce players alongside Paul McCarthy to get into the first team set-up we’re doing our job.
“It’s great to see people like Luke Moore into the first team now.
“Myself and Macca can give them the knowledge, we can use our own experience to actually help them in the game, but once they cross that white line it’s down to them to produce it.
”If they’re good enough, they’ll be in the first team set-up.”
Visit Gravesend & Northfleet's website: www.gnfc.co.uk
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