We'll let our football do the talking, says Lewisham Borough boss Kevin Harris

LEWISHAM BOROUGH manager Kevin Harris says he wants to guide the club up to the Southern Counties East Football League within the next two years.



The Ladywell Arena outfit appointed Harris on 11 June after chairman Ray Simpson and vice-chairman George Davis struggled after taking charge of team affairs after Willie O’Sullivan parted company with the club last December.

O’Sullivan, the former Charlton Athletic player, had won four of their opening thirteen league games, securing 13 points, but Simpson and Davis could only add another four points.

Harris, 35, played for Millwall and has previous managerial experience in the youth ranks at Conference South side Bromley and Kent County League outfit Tudor Sports.

Lewisham Borough opened their pre-season campaign with a 6-1 defeat to Sevenoaks Town last night.

Despite losing his first game in charge of the club, Harris said: “I’m really positive about going forward.  I’m bringing in some new lads, some wasn’t here (against Sevenoaks).

“Just the actual structure of the team is going to be a lot more disciplined.  Training’s a lot better with the coaches that we’ve brought in (Ray Bagnall and Jamie Leggett) so we’re really looking to really push on this year.

“Behind the scenes Ray Simpson is doing fantastic with the things that he’s trying to get in place for the club and we’ll just keep on working as hard as we can to make sure that we can get better performances on the field.”

When asked what he is expecting during his first season in charge at Ladywell Arena, Harris joked: “What am I expecting? Lots of wins, get out of the league, a big budget from Ray Simpson!

“No! to be honest with you, I’m looking for a good, long season. I know it’s going to be long. It’s just about getting a bunch of lads who I can trust to work with.

“I expect us to stabilise the club, stabilise everything about the club in regards to the team and the sessions that they have.  I believe last year was a bit Rag-Arse Rovers but certainly under me it won’t be!

“I run things how I like to be. I’ve been a player at a great level and I just want to relate that to these lads to go out there and realise that they’ve got a great opportunity to put themselves on show.

“I’m a football man from a football family and I’m hoping those traits can pull me through and get this club out of the position that it’s in.

“I’m very excited. I’m looking forward to a long season. I know it’s going to be long.

“We’re starting from scratch. There is no core to build the squad. Everyone was released who was here last year and they’ve all been told to re-trial for their place.

“I was only given the job three weeks ago so we’ve hit them hard, we’ve been training three times a week and that’s going to continue right up to the first ball and we’ll make sure we’re in a good position for the Kent Invicta League this year.

“Where do I see the club? I’d like to say we’d be in Step Five in two years realistically that’s my ambition.

“This year’s about stabilising and getting together a group of players and attracting players and making the club more attractive to good players and that’s what our aim is this year.

“We’ve got to be more attractive to get the good lads in.

“The facilities have got to be quality. I’ll do everything on the playing side. I’ll make sure that’s right and I know Ray’s making sure that everything behind the scenes (are improved).  I know there’s talks about trying to get a stand in.

“Ray’s meeting the groundsman every day this week to make sure the surface is going to be better.

“I’m just trying to add something to this club, which I think can be a sleeping giant. 

“We had 85 people turning up for pre-season training for a club that came third-from-bottom in the Kent Invicta League (last season).

“People are hearing some things that can be exciting to people and I’ve got great coaching staff in Jamie Leggett and Ray Bagnall.

“It’s just about getting this right for the season and let our football do the talking and the results show what we’re about.”