Everyone seems to want money as an incentive, so we found it difficult to attract top players to the club despite the fantastic facilities, says ex Sporting Club Thamesmead joint-boss Danny Joy

FORMER Sporting Club Thamesmead joint-manager Danny Joy says he found it difficult to attract top players to the club without a playing budget.

Joy and Ross Baker were axed after only 18 games in charge of the Thamesmead-based club and were second-from-bottom in the Southern Counties East Football League First Division at the time of their departure.

The pair won three, drew three and lost 12 in all competitions after taking over from Lee Hill – who now runs the side jointly with Owen Jones – in the summer.

“We would firstly like to thank everyone at Sporting Club Thamesmead for giving us the chance to manage at Southern Counties East Football League First Division level,” Joy said in his departing statement.

“Managing Sporting Club Thamesmead proved to be a great experience and a very frustrating one at the same time.

“Pre-season was very hit and miss with two coaches both having to leave the club for various reasons which left us behind with our preparations for the season. Players were coming and going as many do during pre-season causing a very unsettled start to the season and we felt we was always playing catch up.

“We started the season playing well but not getting the points on the board which naturally put pressure on us from an early stage, especially with questions being asked from various people, as at every club when there is a change of management, it's impossible to please everyone.

“We feel that performances were turning round and although we went out of The FA Vase against a team in the league above that we had earned some more time to get up the league table.

“The players availability was our main downfall and only being able to name the same team once in 18 games will always lead to indifferent results, obviously injuries are part of the game, but there was no playing budget as the club is in a building process which we understood, so if boys were offered work on a Saturday we never had any clout to make them play football, and unfortunately there aren't many players at our level who play for the love of the game anymore.

“Everyone seems to want money as an incentive, so we found it difficult to attract top players to the club despite the fantastic facilities and making five or six changes every week doesn't breed confidence or a rhythm of playing in the squad.

“We was always working hard to improve the results and even up to the last week before we left we had signed two young lads on loan from Erith & Belvedere and another two from Thamesmead Town.

“It’s left us feeling flat and deflated as we was working so hard to try and turn things around but we know it’s a results business. We are desperate for another opportunity to prove ourselves as we are both young enthusiastic men who believe we have a bright future in the game.

“Again we want to thank Sporting Club Thamesmead for the experience and hopefully another club will give us serious consideration if a job comes up.”