Soccer Shorts: More clubs will suffer financially, warns Jenner

MARK JENNER, the former chairman of Ryman League Division One South club Ashford Town, has warned numerous more football clubs will be suffering in the current economic climate, writes Stephen McCartney.

Mr Jenner has been appointed consultant at neighbouring Folkestone Invicta, to try to get the Cheriton Road club back on a sound financial footing.

He briefly spoke about the present situation at the club, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk yesterday.

“Sorry, I am not prepared to talk about the debt at this time,” said Mr Jenner. “I have to work on the solution. I am acting as consultant to the board until certain solvency issues are resolved.

“The player situation will not be known for a week or two. None will be paid for at least the next four weeks.

“An entire new management of the club will need to be created for the future, when we are certain we have a future.”

He added: “There will be plenty of similar stories soon (as) many clubs are really suffering now and sponsoring is disappearing fast.”

MAIDSTONE UNITED make the long trip to Swindon Supermarine tomorrow in the second qualifying round of the FA Carlsberg Trophy.

The Wiltshire side are topping the British Gas Business Premier League table and joint-boss Alan Walker, speaking to www.maidstoneunited.co.uk today, anticipates a tough time.

“We know that tomorrow’s game against Swindon Supermarine is going to be tough,” he said. “After all, they are currently top of an equivalent league to ours.

“The same people who scouted for us prior to the Halesowen game have given us a dossier on what to expect and so we are prepared as we possibly can be.

“Whilst we had nullified Wimbledon last Saturday we didn’t impose our side of the game on them and so before the match on Tuesday night against Margate we spoke to the boys about the importance of letting Margate worry about us rather than us concerning ourselves with stopping them and the same applies for tomorrow’s game as well.

“Provided no one has had a reaction to last night’s training session we are hoping to have everyone available for tomorrow. “

Roland Edge had to come off on Tuesday with a reoccurrence of his migraine problem but he should be available.

“Roland has suffered with the condition since he was a kid and he has seen top specialists about it but unfortunately, apart from taking the medication that he has been prescribed, there is nothing more that he can do,” explained Walker.

“Nobody knows why the tablets he takes sometimes work and on occasions don’t and unfortunately it is one of the reasons why Roland had to leave the pro game which is a shame because he is an excellent player.

“We are also hoping that Kevin Watson might be available tomorrow. Maidstone fans have not seen the best of Kevin yet as unfortunately he has suffered with injuries for most of the season.

“On Tuesday Kevin had a cortisone injection in his ankle and we are hoping that will be successful and that he will be able to take his place in the side soon.”

MARGATE, who lost 2-0 at home to Maidstone United in midweek, make the trip to Essex to take on Billericay tomorrow, following both club’s elimination from the FA Carlsberg Trophy at the first hurdle, writes Steve Wells.

Last season these two sides finished ninth and tenth, separated by just two points with the Blues ahead of Town. At this stage of this season, positions are reversed with Billericay one place and four points ahead of Gate, in 17th place.

Form-wise there is little to choose between the two sides with Margate having won seven from a possible 18 points in their last six games through two wins and a draw. Town on the other hand have won five from a possible 18 points.

Roberto Corbishley, Ryan Peters and Aaron Quain could all come into contention for the trip to Billericay, after missing the Maidstone game through injury.

Jack Parkinson is unlikely to feature after sustaining a knee injury against Wealdstone, so Luke Wheatley could continue in the middle of the Margate defence alongside skipper Dan Young. Mo Takaloo should make his second appearance for the club in attack alongside Kenny Pratt. Pat Mullin looks to be a couple of weeks away from full fitness.

The match also sees Danny Kerrigan returning to one of his former clubs.

Like many clubs at the moment, financial management has been an important driver of change at the club, with a number of players leaving to make room for new signings.

Two players have been paced on the transfer list and one gone out on loan. In addition, striker Paul Shave was released after his red card for a poor challenge in Billericay Town’s FA Trophy game against Concord Rangers.

Four players have subsequently signed for Billericay Town including former Margate player/manager Robin Trott and former player/coach Paul Smith. Trott made his third debut for Billericay in the 2-2 draw with Ramsgate at New Lodge last week, but was also sent off having been yellow carded twice. Smith goes straight into the squad for Gate’s visit to Billericay and is sure to be fired up for the encounter.

The Essex side are struggling with injuries with Jamie Dormer, Bradley Woods-Garness, Tim Cole and Rikki Burbridge all out and Jo Flack serves the first of a three match ban.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA boss Neil Cugley brought promising youngsters Josh Burchell and Josh Vincent into the starting line up last night for their first senior starts of the campaign and neither failed to impress the manager, writes Tom Marchant.

The Folkestone boss, speaking to www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk, said: “Both of them done very well indeed. Burchy was against Danny Chapman who obviously has played for us before and is a very experienced midfielder and I think he done well against him. That’s pleasing after Billy (Swallow) playing so well on Saturday and Burchy putting in a performance like last night – left backs aren’t easier to get hold of either! JV I think is a good player already and he’s one of those lads we can keep working on and who can get better and better.”

Despite being named in the original starting line up, Billy Swallow narrowly missed out on a second start of the season after experiencing discomfort in his leg before the match following a crunching challenge on Saturday afternoon.

The line up on Tuesday night also included loan signings Frankie Chappell – back from Welling United – and Gillingham hot prospect Tayler Thomas. Both players have just started one month loan spells at the Buzzlines Stadium.

Former Invicta player Mark Towse, who started the season with Corinthian Casuals, was also named in the squad after signing Ryman forms.

“We’re taking things one month at a time at the moment with everything that’s happening and I’ve called in a couple of favours there to get them down here. Both of them (Chaps and Thomas) done alright (Tuesday) night but both are a bit rusty still as they haven’t played many games, so it also suits both parties. We’re using every avenue we can to get a good side out.

“Towsey is helping me out; he lives up that way and he’s a handy player to have around, especially in our present position. He’s not down this way during the week but if we have games up that way he can come in and help us out and it’s very much appreciated.”

Tuesday night’s final scoreline flattered an experienced Cray Wanderers side when it was the Seasiders who had made much of the early running and who had took the lead through a superbly planted Jimmy Dryden header from a delightful Jimmy Jackson cross from the left.

“I thought first half we played some tremendous football and the young lads got the ball down and I was really pleased,” praised Cugley.

“They could have been a bit overawed and Cray have got a lot of experience and are a strong side but to be fair to us we got the ball down and did well and I was very disappointed to be down at half time.

“These young lads will get better and better and we’ve got to keep encouraging them and hopefully the fans will continue to get behind them. Cray should be in the play offs come the end of the season and we weren’t far off them to be honest. We had the better first half but giving away the goal so early in the second half was a big disappointment and I felt their experience came through as the game went on.

“Second half we created a couple of chances but never looked like getting back into it in the sense of taking all the points home. We lacked a bit of self belief when we needed to kick on, but that’ll come. On the balance of play I felt we deserved a draw.”

It has been a particularly busy period for the Invicta boss who spent time with player-coach Scott Lindsey watching Gillingham reserves draw 2-2 with Brighton & Hove Albion reserves.

“I’m trying to get around as many games as possible to find players who we think could benefit this Football Club and there are certain ones who we’ve seen already who we think could do well at this level,” explained Cugley.

“Hopefully when we start getting things sorted we can bring in players who don’t want too much money and we can get going again.

“On Friday I hope to watch Dicko as Herne Bay have a fireworks display on Saturday so they play Friday, and if I can’t then we’ll have someone at the game to see how he is getting on.”

Dickson’s loan spell at Bay finishes this weekend and Cugley hinted he could start next Tuesday away at Godalming Town.

“We have a slight problem with him because of his college commitments and that was one of the reasons why we thought it would be good for him to go to Herne Bay but obviously if I’d known what was going to happen I would never have let him go!”

Invicta make another away trip this weekend to take on mid table outfit Eastbourne Town. Aside from the suspensions to Matt Bourne and James Everitt, the Invicta boss should have no fresh injury concerns. Lee Spiller should have his knee operation shortly as his preferred surgeon is now available and he should be fit for match action at the end of November.

Jimmy Corbett was taken off as a precaution at Hayes Lane with a tight hamstring, although he is expected to be fit for Saturday.

And Cugley said: “Kieron Byrne done ever so well when he came on against Cray so we might even use him and Corbs on Saturday and change things around a little bit and also try and get Tayler further forward as well.”

The Seasiders make the trip to Eastbourne with the hosts having won back to back victories. Invicta are effectively joint second on 24 points, a position shared with Metropolitan Police and now Cray Wanderers, although the former have played one game more than their play off chasing counterparts.

Eastbourne themselves are only a victory outside the play off places, and Fleet Town – perhaps unnoticeable at the moment – have two matches in hand and victory in those would put them right in the promotion mix.

Cugley said: “I’ve been speaking to a couple of managers about them lately and I think people thought they were never going to be one of the ‘better’ sides but then you look at their last two games and they’ve beaten Crowborough 3-0 away and Sittingbourne 2-1 at home last Saturday. I think they’re a bit like us in some ways; young, energetic and hopefully we can match them on that side of things and our experience and quality with players like Jacko and Corbs will see us to victory.

“I’ve certainly not given up on trying to get reach the play offs and I’m determined to build a side that will play good football, mixing promising young players with experienced lads and I think we’ll come through this period with a lot to be positive about.”

NICK O’KEEFFE has been forced to step down as the chairman of Ryman League Division One North club Thamesmead Town, due to work commitments, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Bayliss Avenue club, sixth-bottom in their first ever season in Ryman League Division One North with a record of four wins and two draws from 13 games, announced Mr O’Keeffe’s decision last weekend.

“His decision did not come as a surprise to me, but nevertheless it is something that is difficult to come to terms with,” club president, Mr Albert Panting told www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk.

“When around seven years ago Nick, along with Barry Stokley and Mark Lee, took on the responsibility of trying to get the club back on an even keel, I was particularly pleased.”

Mr Panting paid tribute to Mr O’Keeffe for his input at Bayliss Avenue club, turning them from Kent League bridesmaid’s to a Ryman League outfit in his seven years at the helm.

He said: “I know that Nick’s work commitments do prevent him from watching the Mead as often as he would want, but he is still a big part of the club and will continue to support us in any way that he can.

“So from the bottom of my heart thanks Nick for everything that you have done for helping to get us to where we are today.”

Meanwhile, back on the pitch, midfielder Sam Thomas is back at Thamesmead and will be in the squad for their trip to Leyton.

SLADE GREEN have secured the services of goalkeeper, Martin Grant, on a loan deal from Ryman Premier League side Tonbridge Angels.

Martin made his Green debut against Greenwich Borough last Saturday.

Although playing for the Angels’ reserves, he has appeared for the first team once this season, and helped to bring the Kent Intermediate Cup to Longmead Stadium last season.

ON OCTOBER 30th 2007, Tunbridge Wells were occupying the wrong end of the Kent League table with eight points on the board, while leadership issues were still unresolved off the pitch.

Another chapter of struggle had just begun in the minds of seasoned Wells supporters… except this chapter would prove to have a twist.

Step forward 24-hours to Wednesday, October 31st and the announcement of a managerial change-over that saw reserve team boss Mike Robbins promoted into the first team management spot and he in turn wasted no time appointing Martin Larkin as his No 2.

Twelve months can seem like a long time in football, and if that is the case here, it’s only down to the fact so much has happened in that timeframe: Look back - for example - on the change in fortunes of the club, where initially things had to get worse to get better; then recall the astonishing burst of form in the early months of 2008, all the while with new, promising signings being added and gelling into the side.

Skip over the summer months in which further exciting additions were announced, and into this season, where, by the end of October, The Wells occupy a top three position in the Kent League, are still in the FA Vase, and the Kent League Cup and will soon begin their Kent Senior Trophy campaign.

The illusion that Robbins and Larkin have been in their jobs for longer than a year can sometimes seem quite believable.

“Saturday’s game with VCD was a good indication of where we are,” Robbins told www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk.

“We beat them at Culverden once this year already, and I felt we could have done so again on Saturday.

“The Vickers are a decent side if you let them play, and I felt we gave them too much respect at the start.

“But we came back well after going a goal behind, and bagged a 1-1 draw. I think I would have taken that at the start - we have been good on the road this season, and I don’t think an away leg has to be a disadvantage if we approach the game right. The pressure is not on us so much now, being the away team.

“It’s one of those strange coincidences that my first game as manager last year was away to VCD - again in the League Cup, and we lost that one 3-1. Let’s see how things have moved on.”

But there are more measures of progress than just results. Strength of squad is a good indicator, and Robbins finds himself with a difficult job sometimes to keep everybody happy.

“You can’t have it all ways as with many things in life. In football, when you are assembling a good side, it is difficult to keep everybody happy. And I’ll be honest here - if some of my players weren’t a bit peeved at times about not playing, then I don’t think they would be at the club for very long - I expect them to care, to want to wear the shirt.

“I want the boys to be hungry, and ready to come into the action when called upon - but there is a fine line to that: for those who aren’t getting as much football at the moment as they might want, I would hope they have the steel and character to stay and fight all the harder for their place in the side.

“That is what makes a player even better - and if they fight it out, their chance will come - what with suspensions and injury.”

However, it’s not always those pushing for a starting spot that Robbins looks to keep happy. A third sign of an improved club is increased levels of speculation regarding those who have been playing, and performing regularly.

“I have had a long chat with Ross Cable,” Robbins confirms. “At the beginning of the season, I challenged him to stick with this club for an entire season - to bag the Golden Boot award, and in his own words, he told me he is here to do a job, and that job is not completed yet.

“The natural danger of bringing in quality players is that rumours will abound. That’s natural and we need to just get on with things in spite of that. People need to worry about what is happening here and now - not what might happen. What we offer to any player is superb training facilities and coaching that we believe makes up for the lure of money some of the traditionally bigger clubs have. So we’re as competitive as some of the more wealthy clubs when it comes to keeping players happy.

“My challenge goes for both supporters and players not to look at the problems that gossip and rumours can try and create. Buckle down and work even harder at keeping the good things moving forward.

“We’ve got to where we are over the last year through hard work and determination - now we’ll all need to work harder to keep it moving forward. I speak for the players when I say those that train hard and play hard will be rewarded.”

And speaking of reward, Saturday’s game with VCD brought reward - because despite a patch of turbulence over the past couple of weeks the side continued to work hard in training not to slump, and has yet to lose more than one game on the bounce - something Robbins identifies as a real positive to come from the game, and testimony of character that comes from hard work on the part of the players.

On the flip side, Robbins expects continued work over the coming week to ensure the side approach The Vickers in exactly the right frame of mind from the kick-off at Oakwood on Saturday.

"I’ll be asking for nothing less than a team performance on Saturday,” he explains. “It’ll be a team performance that is the key to us making further progress in this competition.”

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