Underestimate us at your peril, McMahon tells title favourites Ware

THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon has warned Ware not to underestimate his newly promoted side, writes Stephen McCartney.

Mead travel to Hertfordshire for their inaugural Ryman League Division One North match, having clinched the Kent League and Kent Senior Trophy last season.

And McMahon claims Ware are the favourites to land the title this season but insists his newly promoted side have nothing to fear.

“We’re looking forward to the Ware game,” McMahon told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“Everyone’s telling me their favourites, everyone keeps telling me what a good side they are, everyone keeps telling me they play football - but we play football and I’m sure they’ll give us the respect we deserve.

“We’ve got a mountain to climb and we knew that but we’re looking forward to it.

“Both teams will be up for it and I think it will be a good footballing game.

“If anyone underestimates us they’re going to have a sharp shock."

Thamesmead, and their Kent rivals, Chatham Town, who were switched from the southern division will be looking to emulate what Dartford did in this division last season - winning promotion as champions.

“I think we’re strong to equip ourselves in the league above and I don’t think we’ll let ourselves down,” vowed McMahon.

“We’ve got the side to be right up there. The Aveley secretary asked me (at the Ryman League meeting) what’s our ambitions this year, consolidation?

“And I said, no, we have to look to promotion. We’re an ambitious club and we’ve got the smallest budget in the Ryman League but it doesn’t matter.

“We’ve got plans going forward and I think we’ve got a side that can push us.”

McMahon, however, did admit that the club will be the smallest club in the Ryman Premier League if he did clinch back-to-back titles.

“If we ever did get promoted, we’re nowhere near being a Ryman Premier club,” admitted McMahon. "We’re miles out of our depth at the moment but everyone knows what I’m like as a manager and we’re a winning mentality club here and I want to push on and do the best we can.

“But I don’t know if that will be with Thamesmead, we may be a little bit further behind. I’m not sure as a club, that’s not being naïve, the whole club knows.

“To be fair we didn’t even know we’d be a Ryman League club and we’ve come on leaps and bounds in a short period of time so to be asked if we could get in the Ryman Premier, I think we’d be dreaming.”

The club struggled to attract three figure crowds to Bayliss Avenue as a Kent League club but McMahon hopes to do that on the bigger stage.

And he hopes fans flock through the turnstiles for the visit of Potters Bar Town and explained why the club has switched to playing on Wednesday night’s.

He said: It’s our first (home) game, we’re hoping to get as many down here as possible. I think we’ve put in a few adverts in the paper.

“We’ve switched to Wednesday’s because everyone plays on a Tuesday around here so we’ve done it so I can watch sides on a Tuesday because we’re new in the league and I want to go out and do my homework.

But before the Mead, a side that plays attractive football, play Potters Bar, it’s the trip to Ware that’s on their minds first.

“But we’re not looking too far ahead because we’re looking at Ware first because we know we’ve got a big task ahead against the league favourites,” said McMahon.

“If we go there and get a result there will be a few people will have a look at us.

“Don’t underestimate us! We’re not the whipping boys! If people keep telling me the southern division is a lot stronger than the northern, well, if that’s the case, we’ll be alright.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering Thamesmead Town’s game against Potters Bar Town at Bayliss Avenue next Wednesday.

Visit Thamesmead Town’s website:  www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk

Ware v Thamesmead Town
Ryman League Division One North
Saturday 16^th August 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Wodson Park, Wadesmill Road, Ware, Hertfordshire SG12 0UG