It had to be right for us long-term and this season we felt we had everything in order to allow us to progress, says Greenways player-manager Rob Jeffery

GREENWAYS player-manager Rob Jeffery says the club are committed to playing at a higher level of football.

The Gravesend based outfit finished their promotion winning campaign in second-place in the Andreas Carer Joma Kent County League Premier Division and playing at K Sports’ Cobdown ground in Aylesford.

Kennington and Greenways have sealed groundshare deals to win promotion into Step Six for the first time, while Welling Town have been successful elected into the division having won the Kent County League Division Two West title last season.

The Boots have been playing at Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead for the past two seasons and are fully equipped to play in the Southern Counties East Football League First Division for the first time next season.

Ashford-based Kennington claimed the league title with 75 points from their 28 games, while Jeffery’s Greenways finished runners-up on 63 points.

“The season itself was a disjointed one for most club’s in the league, a combination of bad weather and the Kent County Football League representative games meant a number of weeks off between December and March and then a mad rush to cram the fixtures in at the end of the season,” recalled Jeffery.

“Playing 12 games in five weeks was certainly a challenge! That was a similar story for a lot of teams in our league but when trying to reflect on the season itself it was certainly an odd one in that respect.

“In summary, we ended the season with our highest points per game tally but we came up against a Kennington side that won 25 out of 28 games.

“At this level that is some going and sometimes you just have to tip your hat and congratulate Kennington on what was a great season for them.

“I have a lot of time for both Dan Scorer and Kennington as a club and I’m delighted that we’ve both managed to secure promotion.”

Both club’s have had to find the extra finance to take the massive leap towards playing at a higher level of football.

“Promotion for us is something we have discussed on numerous occasions over the years,” said Jeffery. 

“It requires an increased commitment from both management and players as well as the financial and ground implications.

“Our groundshare with K Sports was the final box we needed to tick before we could look to progress.

“It’s a first-class facility down there and everyone has been fantastic from the moment we arrived.

“Greenways has been around for over 50 years and the one thing we would never do is put the club at risk.

“In short, it had to be right for us long-term and this season we felt we had everything in order to allow us to progress. 

“We’re delighted we’ve managed to gain promotion at the first attempt.  Next season brings a new challenge and one we are thoroughly looking forward to.

“We enter the Southern Counties East Football League First Division with the utmost respect for our opponents but we arrive with no fear.”

Assistant manager Luke Turner added: “Coming into the club two years ago I couldn’t envisage where we are now.  It’s a credit to the huge amount of hard work, both on and off the pitch.  We’ll continue to build on the clubs foundations to take the club forward and are very much looking forward to next season’s challenges.”

A club statement added: “The club would like to thank everyone for their kind words and once again the SCEFL for their warm welcome.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Kent County League for their relentless work they put in on a weekly basis and for all of their support they have given Greenways FC over the many years we have been with them.

“We are excited where this new journey may take us but we will never forget those who helped us get here.”