Getting this club promoted is my only aim, says Tunbridge Wells boss Jason Bourne

TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Jason Bourne says he’s not heaping any pressure on his players – but his only aim is to win promotion at the end of the coming season.

The Wells suffered their worst season in nine years when they finished a disappointing fourteenth-place in the Southern Counties East Football League table last season.

Bourne started the campaign as Keith Bird’s assistant manager but that lasted only 17 games after the club lost eight games and Bourne took sole charge of his beloved home-town club but it turned out to be a season of struggle for the Culverden Stadium outfit and they even flirted with relegation before finishing their campaign on a four match unbeaten run.

Tunbridge Wells began their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 win at Rusthall last night with former Folkestone Invicta striker Richard Atkins heading home a quality cross from Bradley Large after 40 minutes.

“It was a real tough season for the club,” reflected Bourne, who saw 23 players turn out for Tunbridge Wells at Jockey Farm Stadium last night.

“I was here from start to finish, whether it was Keith’s assistant or first team manager and it was a rough ride, it was really tough.

“We turned over a lot of players (53), which is very much unlike the Tunbridge Wells that I always played in.

“This is now my first full season. I learnt a lot in that back end of the season. When I took over the record in the first 10 games was awful and I learnt a lot about myself and what I’ve got to do to improve and I’m learning all the time.

“We’re going to be in a better place, not only in terms of players that we’ve managed to attract, also as part of my development as a manager I’ve brought in good coaches.  I’ve put a lot of thought in everything I’m doing.

“My hunger to succeed at this club is going to be greater than everyone else’s, I believe.

“Getting this club promoted is my own aim and it has to be.  It has to be for every single manager starting off a season. I don’t care what anyone says, that has to be your goal. We’ll finish as high as we can. We’re not going to put massive pressure on players.

“To come and play at our club is a privilege, you play in front of a big crowd. It’s well run, has a good group of boys and if it comes together, it does but we’re not going to heap loads of pressure on players.

“I don’t care what anyone says, when you’re starting on day one, you’re aim is to get promoted. For a big club like Tunbridge Wells, it should be.”

Tunbridge Wells play Sittingbourne on Saturday, a side that finished in 18^th place in the Ryman League Division One South table under Nick Davis last season.

Bourne said: “It will be a good test.  It will be a good step-up, obviously they’re a Ryman side. It will be a good step-up from last night so we’ll have to be well-organised and we’ll have to learn lessons from last night and move the ball a little bit quicker, which we’ll be able to do on a 3G pitch because the grass was a little long at Rusthall.

“Nick Davis is a good friend of mine and he’ll have a good side. He’s very much in a similar boat to me, he’s a little bit more advanced in the amount of time he’s been doing it (management). He’s starting to carve out a career for himself and he’ll want to step on from what they did last year because Nick’s got standards.

“Last season wasn’t good enough for us and I’m sure he’ll be thinking similar.”

Visit Tunbridge Wells’ website: www.tunbridgewellsfc.com

Tunbridge Wells  v  Sittingbourne
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 9 July 2016
Kick Off 1:00pm
at Culverden Stadium, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9SG