Spiller relishes his "fresh start" at resurgent Ashford Town - EXCLUSIVE

Lee Spiller believes resurgent Ashford Town has the team spirit to lead their charge towards the Ryman League Division One South title, writes Stephen McCartney.

Spiller, Tony Browne, Daniel Brathwaite and Nick Humphrey have all arrived at The Homelands from their rivals, Dover Athletic, having played under new Ashford boss, Clive Walker at Crabble.

The new owners at the club have ploughed “half a million quid” into Ashford, improving facilities at the 18-year-old stadium - and Walker has been able to entice quality players to the club.

But 29-year-old Spiller, who skippers the Nuts & Bolts this season, like he did at Dover Athletic, admitted the club are not favourites to land the title.

“I think there’s a lot of good teams in this league,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“With Dartford going out of it (to Ryman League Division One North), it makes it a little bit easier, but I think there’s a lot of strong sides.

“We’ve got a good, experienced squad here, with a few young lads.

“We’ve got a good team spirit already, so I think we will be strong, but you never know who the favourites are.”

Spiller has tasted play-off heartbreak in the past two seasons, whilst playing for Walker at Dover Athletic, and he’s relishing his “fresh start.”

He said: “It’s been difficult picking yourself up after each one of them, but I mean it’s football.

“We’re at a different club now, fresh start. I loved it at Dover, but it was time to go.

“A few of the lads here wasn’t contacted for over a month (by Dover Athletic) so we didn’t know what our futures were (so we had) the chance to come here.

“Obviously I’ve got a family now, you’ve got to look after yourself, and it could be a very good season for us.”

Despite wholesale changes to team personnel, Spiller admitted that it’s been easy to bond with his new team-mates, as he knows many of the players that played for Ashford Town last season.

“I’ve played with a few of the boys, Graham Porter (at) Gravesend & Northfleet, and obviously he was at Margate,” said Spiller.

“I know, I’m a good friend of Tommy Adlington. I know Anthony Allman, so it’s just not the boys that have come from Dover, everyone’s good friends out of football.

“Everyone lives in the vicinity of each other so I think it will be, we have got a good team spirit, and you can build on that straight away.”

And Spiller has high hopes for powerfully built striker, Rob Denness, 18, a player who has signed from rivals, Chatham Town.

He said: “We’ve got some good players here. I mean, Rob Denness, from Chatham, has done brilliant in pre-season. He’s got a little knock today (a calf strain), but I think he can be a revelation for us.”

With “half a million quid” being spent to improve matters on and off the pitch at The Homelands during the close season, Spiller likes what he’s seeing.

“They’ve been doing a bit of work down here,” he said. “It feels nice, the changing rooms are nice inside, looking good.

“The facilities are all good here now and Don (Crosbie) wants the best for the boys. He knows he has to do it professionally and it looks really good.”

Boss Clive Walker also appreciates the efforts made by the club to tidy up the ground.

“Look at the place, you can see it now,” he said. “The boardroom, the changing rooms, the bar, the function room, the pitch, all round the ground, it’s tidied up, a smart place.”

And Walker believes he’s the man to waken up the “sleeping giant.”

“I’ve always felt it has been (a sleeping giant) this place,” he said. “I’ve come here many years ago, when I was at Maidstone, and it was always a big club, non-league wise.”

But like Spiller, Walker insists the club are not favourites to clinch promotion into the Ryman Premier League at the end of the season.

“I don’t know mate to be honest,” he said when asked it his side were favourites. “I just want to get a team here that’s competing, that’s up there, and in with a shout at the end.

“I’ve brought some players, the best I could bring, and they’ll be allright.”

He added: “They’re well seasoned at these levels and the fitter they’ll get, the stronger they’ll be.”

Visit Ashford Town’s website: www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk