Our ambitions for the season are blunt - we want promotion, says KFU boss Sam MacNeil

KENT FOOTBALL UNITED manager Sam MacNeil says he will be disappointed if his side fail to finish in the top three in the Kent Invicta League this coming season.



MacNeil, 21, has brought in former Leyton Orient and Stevenage player James Cole, 30, as his new assistant manager and wants the Crayford-based club to vastly improve on their sixth-from-bottom placing last time out.

Kent Football United report back for pre-season training on Thursday night and open their campaign against Aylesford in Gravesend on Saturday.

“The Aylesford game is the start of our pre-season, a week earlier than most teams,” said MacNeil.

“We begin pre-season training tomorrow and Saturday will be a good opportunity to brush away the cobwebs and crack on with preparations for the next season.

“We have around 30 players to look at over the next two weeks and me and James Cole will be cutting that to a squad of 20 for the new campaign.”

MacNeil revealed that Chris McDonald, 22, will be flying over from Northern Ireland to train with the club.

“We have a lad flying over from Ireland to train tomorrow who plays for New York Bulls under 23s.

“He doesn’t return to America for his season until January so if he meets our requirements and its feasible that could work too. He is living in Belfast but contacted the club last week and will train tomorrow.

“For us to be able to pull players from leagues much higher than this has been impressive and shows the strong position the club finds itself off the pitch with its infrastructure.”

MacNeil has set the tone and has already made a bold prediction how the coming season will pan out.

“Our ambitions for the season are blunt. We want promotion,” he insisted.

“Consolidating last season was fantastic but we’ve been planning for months for this season and are ready to hit the ground running.

“If we are not around the top three I will be disappointed this season.

“The club is in a fantastic position off the field and we have set an ambitious plan to keep pushing up the ladder over the next four years.

“We want success and that drive is from myself.  James and I believe our squad is capable so this Saturday is time for the talking and speculation to stop and the realism of he new season to begin.

“I’m always excited but this season has the potential to be something very special.  Time will tell if we can achieve success.”

MacNeil, who is the youngest football manager in Kent, added: “Anyone who looks at our website or at us on face value as a club can see a lot of hard work goes in not only now at senior level but the youth section is flourishing.

“We will be looking to loan out a few of the 16 year olds who played for the first team last season to give them senior experience on a Saturday.”

Visit Kent Football United’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/kentelitefootballclub

Kent Football United  v  Aylesford
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 29^th June 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Elite Venue, Dunkirk Close, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5ND