Vickers entice Gills to Oakwood for prestigious friendly - EXCLUSIVE

Last season’s Kent League runners-up VCD Athletic have pulled off a major coup - by enticing League One side Gillingham to play them in a pre-season friendly, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Gills visit Vickers’ Oakwood ground at Old Road, Crayford, on Wednesday, 18^th July (7pm).

New Vickers boss Paul Foley, 35, has used his contacts within the game to pull off the lucrative match - his famous father, Theo.

Last night, Paul admitted EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk that he’ll ask his dad for advice during his first season as a manager, having played for the club for the past four seasons.

And he explained how he’s managed to entice Gillingham to play a Kent League side in a warm-up.

“Through my dad,” he said. “Handy when your dad has been involved as a coach or manager with most London pro-clubs!”

And he added: “Just remember, he gets recognised for being my dad - not the other way round!

“I had a lifetime of “how many Eire caps have you got son?” and “how many League games have you played”, not to mention his favourite “scored two against Gordon Banks.

“My retort of “how many goals have you scored in the Conference?” - having scored one in my Fisher Athletic days, doesn’t carry the same weight really!”

Meanwhile, Jim Ward, Foley’s manager for six seasons, brings his Ramsgate side to Oakwood on Saturday, 21^st July (3pm).

Chislehurst resident Foley takes his side to Cray Valley (PM) on Tuesday, 24^th July (7pm), before Cray Wanderers (Tuesday, 31^st July, 7pm) and Maidstone United (Saturday, 4^th August, 3pm) visit Oakwood.