Plenty of Kentish derbies to look forward to

And so finally the countdown to the new season can begin in earnest, after the publication this morning of the Ryman League fixtures, writes Mike Green.

We’ve already seen the Premiership, Football League, Blue Square National (the new “name” for the Conference!!!) and Blue Square South published and finally this morning came the Ryman League and the planning for fans and managers can at last begin in earnest!

Including the Blue Square leagues of the fifteen Kent sides that ply their trade outside of the Kent League, only FOUR have to travel on opening day, with probably the most eagerly awaited game being at the Belmont when Marc Seager’s Whitstable Town begin life in the Ryman League by welcoming fellow newly promoted Eastbourne Town.

After Gravesend and Northfleet became Ebbsfleet United (that’s going to take some getting used to), and don’t forget that with the new TV deal with Setanta Sports, Thursday night football could well be heading our way, the other main “change” in the fixtures is that Monday night is now the football night at Crabble as Dover Athletic have moved their midweek home games to Monday’s – joining neighbours Folkestone Invicta playing home games on Monday nights.

And whilst talking of Neil Cugley’s side, remember last season how they only confirmed survival on the last day of the season?

Well I hope that it doesn’t go that far this time as Invicta’s last two fixtures are both Kent derbies – at Hartsdown Park to play Margate before Maidstone United finish the season at Cheriton Road – not literally we hope!

Of course the fixtures would have been welcomed with greatest expectation at the Belmont, and I wonder how the fixtures went down at Princes Park when for the first time a Kent side will play in Ryman One North following Dartford’s “move” during the close season.

Whilst there are no derbies for Tony Burman’s side, am I the only one who thinks that on the field the Darts could benefit even if off it the may suffer…

Included in the fixtures announced this morning are three Friday night home games for Cray Wanderers at Hayes Lane - a move that can only be congratulated given that near enough every other night of the week is taken up already with televised football.

So the fixtures are known, but what does await us in the next nine months? Well join me as the season approached for Greenie’s “unique” preview to all our teams and season 2007/2008!

Until then, the full fixtures are on the respective website with the below links, but the highlights are listed below…

www.footballconference.co.uk

www.isthmian.co.uk

Opening Day – part one – August 11^th

Blue Square National

EBBSFLEET UNITED vs. Northwich Victoria

Blue Square South

BROMLEY vs. Bath City

WELLING UNITED vs. Bognor Regis Town

Opening Day – part two – August 18^th

Ryman Premier

AFC Wimbledon vs. RAMSGATE

FOLKESTONE INVICTA vs. Wealdstone

MAIDSTONE UNITED vs. Horsham

MARGATE vs. Chelmsford City

TONBRIDGE ANGELS vs. Staines Town

Ryman One North

DARTFORD vs. Maldon Town

Ryman One South

ASHFORD TOWN vs. Kingstonian

Corinthian Casuals vs. CHATHAM TOWN

CRAY WANDERERS vs. Whyteleafe

Horsham YMCA vs. DOVER ATHLETIC

WHITSTABLE TOWN vs. Eastbourne Town

Worthing vs. SITTINGBOURNE

DERBY CHECK – pick out your favourites…

August 20
Dover Athletic vs. Cray Wanderers (R1S)

August 21
Ramsgate vs. Tonbridge Angels (RP)
Chatham Town vs. Ashford Town (R1S)

Bank Holiday Monday
Folkestone Invicta vs. Ramsgate (RP)
Ashford Town vs. Sittingbourne (R1S)
Whitstable Town vs. Dover Athletic (R1S)

September 1
Margate vs. Tonbridge Angels (RP)

September 4
Tonbridge Angels vs. Folkestone Invicta (RP)
Ramsgate vs. Maidstone United (RP)

September 25
Cray Wanderers vs. Ashford Town (R1S)

October 15
Dover Athletic vs. Chatham Town (R1S)

October 29
Folkestone Invicta vs. Margate (RP)

October 30
Ashford Town vs. Whitstable Town (R1S)
Chatham Town vs. Sittingbourne (R1S)

November 3
Welling United vs. Bromley (Blue Square South)

November 6
Sittingbourne vs. Dover Athletic (R1S)

November 10
Maidstone United vs. Folkestone Invicta (RP)

November 17
Margate vs. Maidstone United (RP)

November 20
Cray Wanderers vs. Whitstable Town (R1S)

December 1
Cray Wanderers vs. Sittingbourne (R1S)
Whitstable Town vs. Chatham Town (R1S)

December 15
Tonbridge Angels vs. Ramsgate (RP)
Ashford Town vs. Chatham Town (R1S)
Cray Wanderers vs. Dover Athletic (R1S)

Boxing Day
Margate vs. Ramsgate (RP)
Ashford Town vs. Dover Athletic (R1S)
Whitstable Town vs. Sittingbourne (R1S)

December 29
Ramsgate vs. Folkestone Invicta (RP)
Dover Athletic vs. Whitstable Town (R1S)
Sittingbourne vs. Ashford Town (R1S)

New Years Day
Cray Wanderers vs. Chatham Town (R1S)

January 12
Ashford Town vs. Cray Wanderers (R1S)

January 19
Chatham Town vs. Dover Athletic (R1S)

February 2
Folkestone Invicta vs. Tonbridge Angels (RP)
Maidstone United vs. Ramsgate (RP)

February 9
Tonbridge Angels vs. Margate (RP)

February 23
Tonbridge Angels vs. Maidstone United (RP)

March 1
Maidstone United vs. Margate (RP)
Whitstable Town vs. Cray Wanderers (R1S)

March 8
Bromley vs. Welling United (Blue Square South)

March 15
Chatham Town vs. Whitstable Town (R1S)
Sittingbourne vs. Cray Wanderers (R1S)

Easter Monday (March 24)
Ramsgate vs. Margate (RP)
Dover Athletic vs. Ashford Town (R1S)
Chatham Town vs. Cray Wanderers (R1S)

March 25
Sittingbourne vs. Whitstable Town (R1S)

April 12
Sittingbourne vs. Chatham Town (R1S)
Whitstable Town vs. Ashford Town (R1S)

April 19
Margate vs. Folkestone Invicta (RP)
Dover Athletic vs. Sittingbourne (R1S)

Last day of season (26th April)
Folkestone Invicta vs. Maidstone United (RP)

Remember, you can read about the thrills and spills, blood, sweat and tears of this season's Ryman Football League campaign on www.kentishfootball.co.uk and by listening to BBC Radio Kent - 96.7FM - www.bbc.co.uk/kent/sport

Visit the Ryman Football League website: www.isthmian.co.uk