New look Welling are bonding well, says goalkeeper Turner - EXCLUSIVE

Welling United goalkeeper Jamie Turner is looking forward to playing under the club’s new player-manager Neil Smith this season, writes Stephen McCartney.

The 27-year-old stopper played 52 minutes as the Blue Square Southern club secured a 1-0 victory at Ryman Premier League side Folkestone Invicta today.

The only goal of the game arrived in the 61^st minute when Rob Geir glanced home a free-kick from Michael Johnson.

“We usually have a friendly every year with Folkestone (and) it’s the best I’ve seen the pitch and it’s always a tough game,” Turner said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“They work their socks off, Folkestone do. It makes it a bit more realistic than the Charlton game, they’re just a money making (game) for the club.



SMILING:  Welling United goalkeeper Jamie Turner, who joined the club from Tonbridge Angels in the summer of 2005, is looking forward to playing under the club's new management team.
Photograph courtesy of www.wellingunited.com

“We done well today, we held strong, and we should have been a few more.”

Turner, Richard Carpenter and substitutes Chris Moore and Andrew Sam were the only players on show today, that played under former manager Adrian Pennock last season.

But the new faces, and the newly appointed management team of Smith and Stuart Nethercott, have settled in well, according to Turner.

He said: “There’s a few new faces here, as it’s gonna be, because the departure of Adie Pennock and Phil (Handford) last year and the majority of the squad wasn’t signed on.

“So it’s a tough job for the new manager and assistant, to get a few new players in, which he’s done - it’s looking good at the minute.”

But Smith and former Tottenham Hotspur star Nethercott have made a big impression on the former Gravesend & Northfleet and Tonbridge Angels goalkeeper.

He said: “I don’t want to make comparisons and all that. Adie and Phil done their job for the two and a half years while they were here, and we’re fantastic, but it’s onwards and upwards.

“They’ve now departed and a new team’s come in and first impressions for the first two weeks of pre-season has been unbelievable.

“All the lads have got smiles on their faces, we’re enjoying it, we’re all working hard.

“We all know what we’ve got to do and the enthusiasm of the two, Stuart Nethercott and Neil Smith, is just unreal and it just pays off. Everyone’s enthusiastic now because it rubs off on everyone.”

The Wings have just fallen short for the play-off’s for the past two seasons, but Turner believes the Park View Road club will get there at the end of this season.

“Definitely. That’s our main aim,” he said. “We’ve just gone away a bit on the last few games of the season, last two years, hopefully we can get in there.

“We’ve got the basis of the squad to get in there, everyone looks good, they’re all decent players, so yes, a few more additions, I think we can do it.”

Turner, who signed his new one-year contract after today’s game, confirmed that his former club, Tonbridge Angels, and their Ryman Premier League rivals Maidstone United, were interested in signing him during the summer.

“I spoke to a few clubs,” he said. “I spoke to Tonbridge, I spoke to Maidstone, there’s no denying that.

“I was upfront with Smudger (Neil Smith). I said “look, I didn’t know who the manager was for a month, no-one did.”

“But my heart was at Welling. I said that to Smudge. I wanted to stay at Welling, and I’ve signed on for another year.”

The Wings play three games next week, with Blue Square Premier neighbours Ebbsfleet United coming to Park View Road on Tuesday night, before the Wings travel to Maldon Town (Thursday) and Kent League neighbours, Erith Town next Saturday.

And Turner is looking forward to the hectic schedule.

He said: “We’ve got training Monday as well, and we’ve got the games on Tuesday and Thursday so it’s a busy week, but you’d expect that in pre-season.

“You’ve just got to get as fit as you can and wait for the opening game of the season.”

That opening league game is a home clash with Bognor Regis Town on Saturday, 11^th August.

“Can’t wait!” said Turner. “The lads that have signed now can’t wait until the Bognor game.

“I’ve been at this league for a couple of years now and know what it’s all about and it will be a very tough game, come the first game of the season.

“We’re waiting for it and we’re getting ourselves in the best condition we can to get three points on opening day.”

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