We want to build a team that are to challenge for the top three, says Fisher boss Steve Firkins

FISHER boss Steve Firkins says he wants to transform the club into Kent League title contenders next season, writes Stephen McCartney.


The former Greenwich Borough boss met Fisher supporters for the first time at the club’s Annual General Meeting, which was held at Bacons College, Rotherhithe tonight and the Bermondsey based boss is looking forward to the challenges ahead.

Firkins, who has brought his entire management team with him from Greenwich Borough, worked miracles during three years at his former club and is expected to turn around Fisher’s fortunes after the club finished rooted to the foot of the Kent League table last season.

“It was a great move for me to come back home and a very proud moment for me,” Firkins told supporters.

He added: “Once the euphoria sunk in I got down to work and a big plus for me is to have Adam Lawrence and Bill Walton on board with me.  It’s important to have trust around you.  Bill and I have similar ideas about football, we like our players to like having the ball. 

“Adam was an ex-player of mine a few years back and  took coaching up as a career and he works with Millwall’s Community Scheme and he’s a great buffer between myself and Bill and the younger lads who look up to him.”

Firkins, who guided Greenwich Borough to fourth place in the Kent League last season, told supporters what they can expect at Champion Hill next season.
“Regarding the Fisher players from last season and the players who played for me at Greenwich Borough and other players I have targeted, the first thing I put into them is I want players who are going to be committed to that team and club,” said Firkins.

“There’s no money, all we want are players to put that shirt on and give their heart and soul to that club.

“We’ve got a nucleus of players and eight of our players in our squad are all Bermondsey based.  As soon as they got my text message, they weren’t interested in money- that was a big bonus – there’s a few players I’ve enticed who are happy to come on board with us.”

Firkins has set his targets high during his first season in charge at the club.

“We want to build a team that are going to challenge for at least a top three in the Kent League this season,” Firkins, who undertook administrative and off-the-field duties at his previous club, said.

“We’ve achieved it over the last couple of seasons with Greenwich Borough and there’s similarities (of not having a playing budget).  We didn’t have this (fan-base) at Greenwich Borough.  This is fantastic!  We’ve got a great backroom staff and that allows us to concentrate on the field. 

“It’s brilliant to come to a fantastic club with great people around you.  This, for us, is tremendous.”

Fisher reported back for pre-season training last Saturday and will hold another session on Wednesday night.

The Fisher faithful can expect their side to get the ball down and play as Greenwich Borough’s football was very pleasing on the eye under Firkins. 

“We have targeted some players and offered some of the (Fisher) lads from last year to come in,” said Firkins, who said his players will pay their own fines after Fisher spent £1,010 in fines last season.

“We’ve started pre-season last Saturday and our next session is tomorrow night and at the moment everyone’s good. The (Greenwich Borough) players are all excited about playing for Fisher.  We are in the second best ground in this league (the other being Park View Road) and that’s a big incentive for players to play for the club.

“Our target is top three minimum.  We’ve been fortunate to have a good core of players to play for the club, prepared to come to this club and sweat blood.”

Firkins confirmed tonight that Nathaniel Bell, Peter Afolyan, Danny Hunt, Jamie Turner and Michael Sisson have all agreed to leave Greenwich Borough and join him at Fisher.

He said: “I had a list from Kris Hollidge and I invited all the (Fisher) players from last year and some of them texted back and said they’ll definitely turn up.  Six from last year’s (Fisher) squad actually turned up.  They were invited, it was left up to them whether they turned up.

“We had 30 turn up on Saturday and they were all invited as well so they weren’t random.  Two former players of mine, who played Ryman Premier League football last year, and we didn’t know they were going to come down.

 “Most of my players are all about 22-years-old.  We’ve always been a young squad.  The basis of the squad I’ve got with me have had three years Kent League experience and five or six have played Ryman South football for Croydon Athletic at the age of seventeen.

“The squad numbers are looking good at the moment.  There’s a lad I’ve targeted who played Ryman Premier League football for Croydon Athletic and he is a local lad.  He drifted out of the scene last year and I said why don’t you come down and get back playing decent football.

“There’s one or two that are pacy, right the way through the squad there’s a lot of pace.  He’s been with us two seasons, he’s been targeted by various clubs – Nathaniel Bell on his day is a fantastic footballer and he beats people for fun.  We actually got the best out of him last year.

“The only way we know how to play is attacking. We’re still learning about management.  It’s a new buzz for a lot of the fellas.

“Four of them I’ve known since they were nine and they are fantastic players without a doubt.  I know for a fact three of them have been targeted.  Jamie Turner is a local fella, he’s been offered £150 a week and he’s turned it down to play for me.  It’s great!  All he wanted to do is put that Fisher shirt on.

“It’s great to see the lads in these financial terms certain clubs have got budgets and it’s tempting for these fellas.  Touch wood we’ve been lucky so far they haven’t been tempted.  We may lose one or two to a Ryman club but they’re all Bermondsey boys.”

Firkins hinted who will be leading the line for him next season.

He added: “Peter Afolyan has signed his life again this year – before we had Danny Hunt who was second leading goalscorer in the Kent League (two seasons ago) and we’ve got both of them together.”

Visit Fisher’s website: www.fisherfc.co.uk