Our objectives are to be as competitive as we can, says Holmesdale coach Ross Mitchell

HOLMESDALE coach Ross Mitchell has unveiled goalkeeper Chris Arnold as the club’s first summer signing, writes Stephen McCartney.




The Bromley based outfit have snapped up the goalkeeper from their Kent League rivals Corinthian.

Holmesdale begin their seven-match pre-season campaign with a game against Combined Counties League side Warlingham tomorrow and Mitchell, the club’s goalkeeping coach and club secretary, said, “It’s great to be back, obviously a nice rest or a break for the players and the management team over the summer period.  We’ve been back for a couple of weeks now and the players are looking good.

“To confirm signings or anything at this stage is too early.  The one confirmation we have got is we’ve signed a new goalkeeper, Chris Arnold.

“Chris is an experienced goalkeeper.  He was at Holmesdale before. I’ve worked with him before.  He’s got the experience, he knows the league and to top it all, he’s a very good goalkeeper.”

Holmesdale were going to take their reserve side to face Warlingham before the first team’s lock horns at four o’clock tomorrow afternoon, but Mitchell said: “The reserves, we’ve called that game off for a number of reasons.  With our (first team) game, we’ll treat it very much as a friendly.  We’ll look at people who have come down.  It’s not about the result.  It’s to get some fitness and for us as a management team to look at the old squad from last season and assess them and asses the new ones that have come down to training.

“The number of friendlies we’ve got is to get the squad working together and produce some good fitness results as well as the training that we’re doing.”

Holmesdale can look forward to three games against Ryman League clubs; against Dulwich Hamlet (24 July), Cray Wanderers (1 August) and Leatherhead (6 August).

The games against Ryman Premier League Cray Wanderers and Leatherhead will be played at the club’s Oakley Road ground.

“It’s always good to finish your friendlies against tougher opposition as they can match you for fitness and ability for a football perspective so we’re looking to test ourselves at the end of pre-season going into the first league game.”

Holmesdale will begin their Kent League campaign on 13 August, although the League fixtures will only be published after the Ryman League fixtures come out next Wednesday.

When asked about the club’s aspirations, Mitchell replied, “We set up the same as every season.  Our objectives are to be as competitive as we can, for the players and for the management team to enjoy their football and if we can have a good cup run and do well in the league like we did last year and we get players to buy into what we want to do, that ticks the boxes.

The club’s hopes of reaching their first ever Kent Senior Cup Final were dashed by losing in the semi-finals to Tunbridge Wells last season, courtesy of a dramatic last-gasp winner from Keelan Mooney.

Being the third club in the town, behind Bromley and Cray Wanderers, Mitchell admits it’s a struggle to survive, and the Oakley Road based outfit are looking for extra bodies to strengthen the club.

“We don’t have a big committee, however we do well for what we’ve got,” admitted Mitchell.

“We are looking for volunteers to come down to help out on match days and during the week.  It is a struggle, but we do well to get through.

“We’re looking for an assistant manager for our reserve team.  Steve O’Rouke, is a former player and is very much a club person.  He done really well last year to complete the season. 

“It’s one of the hardest jobs in football being a reserve team manager, but we’re looking for an assistant manager to come in who can take training sessions, who can bring a young pool of players with them, maybe a disbanded under 18 side last year, who are good enough to play reserve team football and push for first team football.”

For more details please call Ross Mitchell on 07875 730 862.

Visit Holmesdale’s website: www.holmesdalefc.co.uk  

Warlingham  v  Holmesdale
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 9^th July 2011
Kick Off 4:00pm
At Verdayne Gardens, Limpsfield Road, Warlingham, CR6 9RP