Slade Green job is up for grabs, says caretaker Malin

TERRY MALIN has said tonight that his stint as caretaker manager at Kent League side Slade Green will only be for a three-game period, writes Stephen McCartney.

Malin, 48 and Phil Miles, 40 - who spent five years in charge of the club between 2001 and 2006 - were both installed as caretaker managers on Saturday night, following the shock departure of Matt Longhurst seven days ago.

Longhurst, a former coach at Dartford, has opted to move to Chatham Town in a coaching role, replacing Jimmy Coleman at the relegation threatened Ryman League Division One North outfit.

The Medway outfit are sitting in 18^th place in the table with a record of 14 points from 19 games and are seven points from the drop zone.

Slade Green, meanwhile, missed the opportunity to climb into sixth place in the Bulmers Cider Kent League table, following their disappointing 1-1 home draw against second-from-bottom side Lordswood last weekend.

Therefore, the Green are in eleventh place (out of seventeen) in the table with 18 points from 15 games.

Malin, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight, explained the pair’s situation at The Green and believes the job will suit someone starting out in the managerial game.

“The previous manager moved on in the week and they obviously had nothing in place for a new manager and they said if me and Phil would be interested in helping them out for a short period of time,” said Malin.

“As we weren’t busy we said we’d help them out. It’s only for a month. Phil’s a family friend of the Smith’s (the family that run the club) and we said we’ll help them out.”

Malin added the Moat Lane club will advertise the job.

After leaving Slade Green, both Malin and Miles spent two years at Kent League rivals Greenwich Borough but insist they are desperate to return to management long-term.

“The club needs to move on,” said Malin. “We’ve been there and done that bit.

“It might give people a nudge to see that we’re alive and kicking.

“It’s a difficult time for them (the Smith’s), they have a difficult time as it is running the club and Matt (Longhurst) left quite abruptly.

“It’s a difficult club to run and they would have no way getting a manager in for a short time. They asked if we can help out and we said yes!”

“The people that go in there would be a certain type off person - to get on the ladder.

“Slade Green will always be a tough job. It’s a great first job to get yourself into management, put your stamp on it.

“There’s always someone who wants it. It’s a step on the ladder for them. Unfortunately they’ve got no real financial backing to move it on. Not everyone goes down the route of paying vast sums of money.”

Malin revealed Longhurst has advised his new club, Chatham Town, to submit a seven-day approach for Slade Green’s 10-goal striker, Lee Barnett.

Barnett was last season’s supporters player-of-the-year and was also Slade Green’s leading scorer with 12 goals.

He is another player with good pedigree and was on the books of Queen’s Park Rangers, Hastings United and Sevenoaks Town and should be playing at a much higher level as he is presently.

“When a manager leaves a club some of the players go with him,” said Malin.

“At the moment I’ve had no calls from the players saying they’re going to leave. I said to them on Saturday if they want to go, they can. No-one’s going to hold their hands with handcuffs.”

Malin and Miles, are in charge of the away game at Norton Sports on Saturday; the home Kent Senior Trophy tie against Tunbridge Wells seven days later, and the trip to VCD Athletic on 20^th December.

The pair take their first training session tomorrow night, although Malin insists he has done his homework on Norton Sports.

“Funnily enough, that was one of the games that we’ve watched when Norton Sports beat Slade Green 1-0,” revealed Malin.

“It’s going to be a tough encounter. We know a little bit about them (as) we’ve watched a bit of (Kent League) football this year so we know most of the teams.

“Norton Sports are a strong, midtable team and have seen to have held their own with a few wins and a few defeats.

“I think they’re happy with midtable at the moment.”

You can’t rule out the pair staying at their beloved club for the remainder of the season, but if their stint only lasts three games, Malin would like his phone to ring with offers.

“It would be nice to get back in the dressing room,” he added. “It’s nice to have a break but once you get the buzz you want to get on with it.

“We’re disappointed that nothing’s come up (since we left Greenwich Borough last season), but you can’t invent jobs.

“It might open a few people’s eyes, we’ll see.”

The pair gave Millwall star Dave Martin his first chance in football with Thamesmead Town’s reserves before taking the winger to Slade Green, before the wing-wizard was snapped up by Dartford and excelled under Tony Burman’s tuition.

A £25,000 move from Princes Park to Crystal Palace followed, before he made the switch across south London to sign for the Lions.

Malin, meanwhile, laughed at claims that players are picking up decent money, even though their clubs are in the lower reaches of the Bulmers Cider Kent League table.

He said: “You get a player on nothing at Slade Green and (he can pick up) £40 somewhere else, you’re going to lose them.

“Average players are picking up forty and fifty quid, which is a worry. If you look at the bottom half of this league there are clubs with big budgets and you wonder how it all gets justified, but that’s football.

“Look at the bottom half of the Kent League, there are a few shocked big budgeted teams.”

Visit Slade Green’s website:  www.clubwebsite.co.uk/sladegreenfc/

Norton Sports v Slade Green
Bulmers Cider Kent League
Saturday 6^th December 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Winch’s Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG