We will not slip up, insists Walker - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Thursday 12th April 2007

Alan Walker insists his Maidstone United side will still clinch the Ryman League Division One South title despite their wobble over the Easter period, writes Stephen McCartney.

Despite drawing both their holiday games 2-2, against Whyteleafe and Sittingbourne, the Stones remain at the top of the table, just one point clear of Hastings United - but with a game in hand.

Maidstone United travel to Metropolitan Police on Saturday before they play their final home game of the season, when Kingstonian visit Bourne Park on 21^st April.

Their game in hand is a Kent derby at Ashford Town on 24^th April before they’ll be looking to celebrate their second successive promotion at Walton Casuals on the last day of the season.

But with Hastings United (72 points), Tooting & Mitcham United (69), Dulwich Hamlet (66) and Dover Athletic (65) closing in, Walker knows his side must win three of their last four games.

“We need to win three of the final four,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk following the Stones were knocked out of the Kent Senior Cup by Tonbridge Angels last night.

“They all become must win if we lose one but it’s a game we will be looking to get maximum points from.

“It should be encouraging for us, the fact is the surface at Met Police is usually very good, which will help us.

“We’re not at our best when we’re playing on sandy and horrible pitches but I think we’ve got a team that can mix-it and play in different conditions.

“I definitely feel when we play our best football over the course of the season it’s been when we’ve played on the best pitches.”

Mario McNish, the rock at the heart of their defence, is expected to shake of a “dodgy ankle” to enable him to play at Imber Court on Saturday.

But Lee Shearer, who played against Sittingbourne on Easter Monday, will keep his place at the back as Ryan Royston, who scored Stones consolation goal last night, is on holiday.

Walker explained: “We’ve got no Ryan available this weekend because he’s got a holiday, which was booked when he wasn’t with the club, when he left us last summer.

“So he’s not available for Saturday’s game but Lee Shearer played 90 minutes on Monday, done very well, so we’re not phased about that so he’ll come in and partner Mario.”

Managers Walker and Lloyd Hume have already targeted the players they feel the club needs when the Ryman Premier League campaign kicks off in August.

“We’ve made plans already for next season, yes,” revealed Walker.

“We know who we’re targeting. We’ve already spoken to people who have already indicated they would come next season if we’re in the Premier League.

“We’ll be looking to do that, get up into the Premier League, and if we are, we’ve targeted who we need and where we need replacements.

“We’ve almost got the deals done, it’s just a question of making sure we get up there now.”

Maidstone United look at the achievements of both Ramsgate and Tonbridge Angels, who haven’t been phased with life in the Ryman Premier League, having been promoted last season.

And Walker recalls the day his side knocked out big-spending Essex giants Chelmsford City out of the FA Trophy in the first qualifying round back in October.

He said: “You think about it, we went up to Chelmsford and beat Chelmsford, who were league leaders like but we’ve had a couple of poor performances against Ashford Town (Middlesex) and obviously tonight.

“We can’t judge (that) because we’ve played a very weak side but I’m confident when everyone’s fit and the addition of the squad of two or more good players, we should fear no-one.”

Walker believes his side will hold their nerve during their last four games to ensure the Stones go up as champions and avoid the lottery of the play-offs.

“We want to finish as champions, of course we do,” he said. “We have to win three out of four to guarantee that. That’s if the other teams win all their games so it’s in our hands and will be giving it absolutely 150, 200, whatever you want to call it, percent.”

Meanwhile, at least four fans will be cycling from Oxford to Bourne Park, via a number of football grounds, to raise money for the club’s Ground Fund.

This is to coincide with the Stones last home match of the season against Kingstonian on 21^st April and sponsor forms will be able around Bourne Park and at the programme kiosk.

And chairman Mr Paul Bowden-Brown admitted the club featuring on the Easter Monday edition of Eastenders on BBC1 was “a nice little bit of publicity.”

Millions of people watched Jim Branning having a pint in a Kent pub, and as he finishes his discussion with the landlord regarding his favourite team the Hammers and their recent bad luck, he turns to the fireplace, raises his glass to a picture of the Stones and a Maidstone United FC scarf and says, “you think the Hammers had problems” and wishes all the best to Maidstone United Football Club in the Cup next year.

Now, following this publicity, wouldn’t it be a special occasion if West Ham United agreed to open Maidstone United’s new stadium in the county town so Mr Branning could have his wish?

And the chairman has challenged the team to clinch the championship after the players “totally let the management and myself down with their recent displays.”

Writing inside his programme notes last night, Mr Bowden-Brown, added: “I have always stated the championship is there for us to lose and on our current form we seem to want to hijack the possibility of winning it.

“But it’s not the first time this has happened while I have been at this club.

“I just hope our players have the mental strength and the pride to turn their recent form around for the remaining few matches, and play to the standard that the management and I believe they’re capable of.

“If not it will prove that the squad is not good enough to win this league, something that I hope they prove is not the case, especially as the clubs around us keep dropping points and leaving the championship is there for the taking.”

Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

Metropolitan Police v Maidstone United
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 14^th April 2007
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Metropolitan Police (Imber Court) Sports Club, Ember Lane, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 0BT