25thnov05

Friday 25th November 2005

Toms returns to Stones as reserve team manager

Maidstone United yesterday announced that their ex first team player and manager Matt Toms had returned to the club as reserve team manger and that Richard Chawner will remain within the reserve structure as his assistant manager/coach, reports www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

Steve Todd, the previous manager, who had taken the reins of the reserve set-up from the start of this present season, forwarded a letter of resignation and the Board accepted this.

Toms who only earlier this season managed Whitstable Town is a vastly experienced Kent League manager and sees that his immediate priority is to add a couple of experienced players to the squad and set about correcting the team's run of poor results.

Commenting on his new appointment, Toms said: "It's good to be back, as I've missed not being involved and I like the challenge that has been put to me, not only to get the team back to winning ways, but at the same time help develop a few young players"

Maidstone United FC reserves now fall under the administration of the youth section and form the focal point of the Club's development programme for all of their youth players.

Chairman of the Youth Section, Mike Cogger commented: "I am encouraged that Matt shares with us the ambition that the reserves should act as the threshold for our senior Under 18 boys to take the next step into the first team and we all see Matt as the perfect manager to help guide them there."

Back to first team matters and Alan Walker was rightly disappointed with Wednesday night's performance, where they lost a League Cup group game 2-0 at home to VCD Athletic, particularly as both Hume and Walker had appealed to the players before the match to put in a good performance as they owed it to the fringe players trying to force their way into the squad.

Walker said: "We gave some of the lads who are on the fringes a chance once again to stake a claim in the squad but were let down by five or five players who just failed to perform.

"At half-time we reminded them of that and asked them to use the wide players more rather than just punt it forward but it just didn't happen."

"I'll make no bones about it, the league is our priority as well as The FA Vase, but we do still want to win this competition and the Senior Trophy and well be going all out on Saturday to prove that, not only for ourselves, but for the fans as well. More importantly, we'll need these games to get back on track for the important games in the league and Vase in the coming weeks."

There were three notable absentees on Wednesday with Jimmy Strouts out suffering from a virus, Sam Tydeman who was rested after a kick to the knee at the weekend and Nathan Paul who suffered a slight work related injury Wednesday. But Hume hopes all three will be back in contention for the weekend. Also set for a recall is reserve player Robin Clark after an impressive debut at Deal.

Tunbridge Wells v Maidstone United
Kent Senior Trophy Second Round
Saturday 26th November 2005
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Culverden Stadium, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells