There's no reason why we can't get promoted, says Hogg - EXCLUSIVE

The 27-year-old, who lives in Blackheath, and works for TalkSport Radio in their marketing department, where Ian Wright (Ashford Town), and Gary Stevens (Tunbridge Wells) are presenters, turned down a summer move to Ryman Premier League side Ramsgate, to stay at Bourne Park.

Even though his current club are not big spenders, Hogg whose played for Dartford, Dover Athletic, Folkestone Invicta and Tonbridge Angels, believes Steve Lovell’s side can compete with the big boys.

“To sort of stay amongst the top of the group and see what happens really, Hogg said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk about the club’s aspirations this term.

“There’s lots of teams coming out saying “they’re going to win the league,” - I just think we’re going to do the best we can, with the squad we’ve got, and see what happens really.

“If we can get into the top five or six, you never know!”

Hogg decided to stay at Bourne Park, despite an offer from Jim Ward to move up a division.

“It’s a good team spirit (here), that’s the main reason I stayed down here as well,” explained Hogg.

“There’s a good bunch of lads down here, everyone wants to play football, and enjoy it really.

“There’s no-one whose on loads of money or anything like that, so it’s for the enjoyment and to try and do the best we can.

“I’ve been at Dover the year before last and at Dartford last year, with the new stadium (at Princes Park).

“There’s different aspirations (at Sittingbourne), but we still want to win as many game as we can.

“I don’t see why Sittingbourne can’t get promoted. Maidstone have done it, Ramsgate have done it, maybe not fancied teams, to win the league.

“I’ve been there (two years ago) in the play-off final with Dover, and it doesn’t always pan out the way you think it does.

“It’s a very difficult league, it’s a really strong league to be in.”

Hog feels that the Stones and the Rams, who’ve won this division in the past two seasons, we’re able to fight their way into the Ryman Premier League.

He said: “I think Ramsgate and Maidstone would probably say that if you’re fit and direct, and you’re hard to beat, the first year I was at Dover, we won the first ten games in a row.

“Ramsgate that year were fit, strong, quick and direct, where as maybe some of the other team’s play a bit more football and that may not be the way.

“I think Maidstone and Ramsgate especially we’re very difficult (and) proved if you’re hard to beat, you can go away on a Tuesday night to win some games, you can win the league.”

Dark horses Sittingbourne travel to relegated side Worthing for their opening day clash.

The west Sussex side have boldly started that “they’re going to win the league,” despite their fall from grace - the Ryman Premier League - last season.

And Hogg is relishing the 18^th August clash.

He said: “I’ve played there before, it’s a nice ground, they’re quite a big club, but you’ve got three or four clubs saying they want to win it.

“I’m sure Tooting, Dulwich and Kingstonian are saying they want to win it.

“There’s a lot of big clubs that want to win it. It’s a tough league to win so it’s not easy by any means.

“Anyone can beat anyone as well, so it’s whose the most consistent throughout the league really.

Fans from other Kent clubs have criticised Sittingbourne during the past two season’s with problems with floodlighting and the playing surface at Bourne Park.

But Hogg said: “The chairman’s doing as much as he can with the ground and he’s putting a lot of effort in getting player’s down to play for Sittingbourne.

“It’s a case of if we are pushing for the play-off’s, we may get a few more people through the gate.

“The lads are trying to play good football and attractive football and if we can do that, hopefully their may be a few more people through the turnstiles.”

Hogg jumped at the chance to play for Lovell when he switched from Dartford last January.

He explained: “I’ve known Steve for quite a few years from where I’ve played in Kent.

“I was injured quite a bit last year and he offered me regular first-team football.

“I could have stayed at Dartford and probably sat on the bench, but I just really want to play football every week and he said I could do that at Sittingbourne.

“Nothing to do with money or anything, I could be on more money at other clubs.

“I could have gone to other clubs in the summer, but I want to stay here and play here.

“I enjoy the banter I have with the lads - if I was a bit younger, I might have moved to another club.”

Sittingbourne travel to their Kent League neighbours, Faversham Town on Saturday (3pm).

Visit Sittingbourne’s website: www.sittingbournefc.co.uk