Soccer Shorts: Jones rues Elliott's departure to Redhill

Friday 24th July 2009

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CRAY WANDERERS are pleased to announce a groundshare deal with Otford United FC from the Vandanel Kent County League.

This will allow the Coopers and Cray Wanderers Football Academy to play their Ryman Youth League games at Otford’s Recreation Ground facilities over the next two seasons.

The games will be played under floodlights on Thursday nights, with each game kicking off at 7.30pm.

Academy Manager and Cray Wanderers Reserves Assistant Manager, Darren Anslow, speaking to www.craywands.co.uk said: "I am really happy that we have secured this deal with Otford. The facilities are fantastic and the playing surface is first class.

“As soon as I discussed the Academy with Otford manager, Dennis Leigh, it was apparent that we both had the same views on the development of young players, and that really helped broker the deal.”

The Academy is a venture between Cray Wanderers FC and Coopers Technology College in Chislehurst, and first came together as an achievable initiative during the 2008-09 season.

Anslow added, “I would like to thank the Otford chairman, Mr David Hobson, and the secretary, Mr David Dugay. Both men played a big part in making this deal possible.”

Cray Wanderers chairman, Gary Hillman, is also really pleased with the groundshare agreement.

He said: “Thanks to Darren’s hard work and commitment with the Academy, we will soon begin to see the fruits of everyone’s labour.

“We also thank the Members of the Otford United Committee. This is the start of a fantastic relationship between the two clubs.”

MAIDSTONE UNITED have secured the signature of exciting wide man Jimmy Bottle for the new season.

The 19 year old has played in seveal of The Stones' pre-season fixtures to date and was signed after an impressive performance ironically against his former club Ashford Town.

Manager Alan Walker, who was speaking to www.maidstoneunited.co.uk, was pleased with this latest addition to the squad.

"I've been aware of Jimmy for a while and I know what his game is all about," he said. "He gives us some fresh options in attack with his pace.

"Although he missed a small amount of our pre-season due to a pre-booked holiday he has not suffered too much for this as he is a naturally fit lad."

MARGATE'S Hartsdown Park was a hive of activity on Tuesday with the National launch of Margate Skill School, the new initiative from the Margate Learning Zone.

Reporters from Sky Sports, BBC radio, 4-4-2 magazine and The Daily Express visited the club to witness Martin Keown and Neville Southall talk about the power football has in improving the communication skills of children.

The project is part of the BT and Football Foundation’s “Communicating for Success”, a £1 million UK-wide programme using the positive influence of football to help combat digital exclusion and improve communication skills across the UK.

The Study Centres of all the 92 professional English football clubs, as well as the leading names in Cricket and Rugby applied to be part of this scheme, with Margate’s very own Learning Zone being one of the selected ten from across the whole country.

Skill School is split between an hour and a half of football coaching with Southall and Tom Hickman, with the children’s understanding of the key skills of football (dribbling, shooting and passing) being developed.

The children then move onto the MLZ’s state of the art study centre for the additional hour and a half with Programme Manager Chris Kingman.

Here the children make “YouTube” style video’s demonstrating not only their increased understanding of the game, but also have the opportunity to improve their communication and ICT skills.

Martin Keown, speaking to www.margate-fc.com, said: “It’s amazing to see how these children are giving up their own holiday to come back into the classroom and learn. The staff have done a wonderful job bringing these children together and providing them with a project that can make a real difference to them.”

Centre manager Andy Moore added: "It’s been a real coup actually getting the funding to run this project in the first place, and then to receive the level of exposure we have is fantastic.

"It’s important to recognise the great work going on at this football club, this is a real community club where kids matter.

"We have received huge interest in using this scheme from some of the biggest sports clubs in the country, and everyone that has been here today has commented upon the welcoming atmosphere at the ground and the level of professionalism shown by all involved.”

The Margate Learning Zone works with children aged between 9-14 and anyone interested in hiring the study centre, or applying for a place one of the many courses run by the MLZ should contact Andy Moore.

Meanwhile, Margate's directors are delighted to announce that the sale of shares has already produced one third of the money required to settle the debt to HM Revenue and Customs.

A club statement added: "We would like to thank all those supporters who have contributed so far and also MISA (Margate Independant Supporters Association) who have kept the momentum of the appeal going. We’re on our way, please help if you can."

CHARLTON ATHLETIC'S Former Players Association have announced the squad to play against the Vicker’s ‘Legends’ on Sunday 9th August at 1pm at VCD Athletic's Oakwood ground at Old Road in Crayford.

The former Charltons stars treading the lush turf at Oakwood will include the following:-

Steve Gritt (ex Bournemouth, Charlton and Walsall midfielder)

John Humphrey (ex Wolves, Charlton, Crystal Palace and Brighton defender)

Peter Garland (ex Leyton Orient, Charlton and Newcastle United midfielder)

Paul Walsh (ex Charlton, Luton, Spurs, Pompey, Man City, Liverpool/England forward)

Colin Walsh (ex Nottingham Forest and Charlton winger)

Paul Williams (ex Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday, Crystal Palace and Southend forward)

Other former Addicks stars appearing will be:

Richard Wilson

Leroy Ambrose

Tony Booth

Paul Linger

Andy Jones

Michael Paye

Paul Gorman

Come down to see these stars of yesteryear take on a Vicker’s Allstars side that includes former professionals

Wayne Burnett (ex Leyton Orient, Plymouth Argyle, Blackburn Rovers, Huddersfield Town,

Bolton Wanderers and Grimsby Town Midfielder)

Anthony Barness (ex Charlton, Chelsea, Bolton Wanderers, Plymouth Argyle and now with Lewes defender)

These two pros (and hopefully a couple more) will be appearing former Vickers favourites such as Pike,

Whitehouse, Barry, Alchorn, Frost, Coatham, Foley, Bowey, Bennett, Groom, Norris and many more.

Supporters are asked to come down to watch what should be an entertaining match at Oakwood and sample the Oakwood hospitality in the tea bar or clubhouse bar with post match drinks available in the bar that has multi screen Sky Sports on

offer too!

SEVENOAKS TOWN manager Simon Jones expects to have seen the last of striker Marcus Elliott, who is destined to sign for Sussex County League outfit Redhill.

The popular striker turned out for Redhill against Oaks at the weekend, scoring within seconds of coming on as a substitute, and was again involved for the Surrey side on Wednesday night.

Jones, speaking to www.sevenoakstownfc.org, said: "Marcus has a few friends who play for Redhill, and hasn't really trained with us so far.

"I have spoken to him twice since the weekend, and I am really sorry to see him go. He has bags of pace and talent and is a nice guy."

LORDSWOOD have unveiled their summer signings as they prepare for their new Kent League campaign.

Whilst a select number of the players from last years squad have remained for the coming season, it is always news of any new signings that pricks up interest and gets people talking.

Lordswood haven't really had a summer break and have had training sessions through May onwards. Amongst the players that have signed on, Lordswood can reveal that former Ashford Town striker Scott Penfold, title winning former VCD striker Dave Hassett and the skilful Jeremiah Fagan formerly of Greenwich Borough have all put pen to paper, as well as former Faversham Town duo, defender Wes Hammond and striker Ben Ives

Lordswood have seen more than 40 individuals regularly turning up to their training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Martin Grove and Saturday Mornings at either Martin Grove or Mote Park. All of which are hoping to force their way into Kevin Metcalf and Martin Telford's sights. Vince Shell is also heavily involved with the training sessions with an eye for those that are not picked for the first team squad to form the reserves.

Players from last season that remain at the club include Manager's Player of the Year Mark Rothery, Player's Player of the Year Nathan Nelson, Joel Melville, Rowan Arnott, Ben Hilden, Alec Osbourne and Dex Fidyk. Fidyk only played a handful of games for Lordswood last season but his debut showed much promise and hope for the future - and indeed his experience could prove a driving force for the coming season.

Melville is looking to score a fair few goals this season and has confidently stated that he is capable of bagging more than 20 goals - certainly he had a good number of chances last season, and with a season at Lordswood now under his belt the Lordswood management and fans alike will be hoping he will be able to convert more chances into goals for 2009/10.

Former Ashford Town players Danny Keen and Aaron Abbott have also signed on for the Lords and both look to have settled in well during pre-season.

Confidence and a very good team morale seems to have been formed over the close season and the players have certainly been put through their paces by the management team. Structured sessions including intense fitness work and technical work have been carried out by Kevin Metcalf, Martin Telford, Steve Arnold, Vince Shell, Brian Curtin and Steve Coates.

Lordswood have also brought in a Goalkeeping coach this season in the form of former Sittingbourne stopper and coach Trevor Kitto. Trevor has been concentrating on improving the performances of Rowan Arnott as well as new boy Danny Ball (a former Greenwich Borough player). Nathanial Masters has also joined the senior section from last season's Under 18s squad and with another young keeper joining from Tunbridge Wells, Lordswood now have some very healthy competition for the Goalkeeper's jersey's.

Work off the pitch and behind the scenes has also been carried out. Much needed pitch improvements are still in progress which means that no pre-season games are being played at home. In fact the first game will not be played on the pitch until the visit of Erith Town on the 22nd August.

Movement of pitches within the Lordswood complex has seen a second football pitch being installed alongside the stadium pitch - this will be used as the training pitch with floodlighting being installed on the back of the main pitch floodlights. Lordswood have also announced a groundshare agreement with Gillingham Ladies and their reserve side who will play on Sunday's at Martin Grove.

Lordswood by no means will be claiming to be winning the league next season, but there's high hopes and expectations that they'll be a much stronger, fitter and quicker team - and that any clubs expecting an easy ride may well be in for a surprise!

Articles courtesy of the following websites:

www.craywands.co.uk

www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

www.margate-fc.com

www.vcd-athletic.co.uk

www.sevenoakstownfc.org

www.lordswoodfc.co.uk