If we apply ourselves right then we'll be a match for Wroxham, says Dover boss Nicky Forster

DOVER ATHLETIC manager Nicky Forster says he is looking to put his stamp on the squad that he has inherited from previous incumbent Martin Hayes, writes Stephen McCartney.



Forster, 38, who lives in Lingfield, Surrey, left his home-town club to take charge of the Blue Square Bet South club and has looked at the present squad during his three games in charge at Crabble.

The former Brentford boss took charge of a home 3-0 win over Carshalton Athletic in the second qualifying round of The FA Cup two weeks ago, a goal-less draw at Welling United in the league last weekend and progressed through to the third round of the Kent Senior Cup with a 6-3 win at Maidstone United last night.

He said:  “I’ve enjoyed it.  It’s nice to be back in management.  I enjoy doing the job and enjoy managing people and the coaching side of things, so it’s been good.

“It’s obviously a results related business so hopefully they’ve been good as well so at this moment all is good.”

Forster knows there is a big difference to managing a semi-professional club like Dover Athletic compared to life at Griffin Park.

“You don’t get so much time with the players, which is a problem because there’s areas I would like to work on.

“Obviously I would like to change certain aspects of the team, so that’s probably the difficult thing.  You don’t see the group as much as you do on the professional scene.”

Forster has made judgements on his playing squad throughout his first three games in charge.

“We’ve got strength-in-depth,” he said.  “I would like to put my stamp on it at some stage, which I’ve done a little bit, but the problem is we have got quite a big squad. 

“We’ve got lots of numbers and it’s keeping those guys happy, especially those who aren’t involved each week.  Players’ train with a purpose and if you take that purpose away, i.e. a game on a Saturday and leave them out of the squad they soon become despondent so it’s very difficult to keep those happy.  Maybe the squad is a little bit too big!

“I haven’t made any decisions on what we’re going to do as to who’s staying or whose going and so forth.  I’m still in the process of working everyone out – I’ve got a good idea of what I think about the playing staff now.

“I don’t want to just to start offloading just yet as I think they all deserve an opportunity.  It’s good to see some of the players I haven’t seen play last night, so I can really get to know them all.  At some stage the squad will probably dwindle down.”

Dover Athletic welcome Ridgeons League Premier highflyers Wroxham to Crabble in the third qualifying round of The FA Cup on Saturday.

Wroxham lie in second place in the table with nine wins and a draw from their opening 12 games and are only a couple of points behind Dareham Town.

“I should imagine it will be a typical FA Cup encounter,” said Forster.  “It’s a winner-takes-all on the day isn’t it? So I should imagine both teams will go out with a positive frame of mine and try to attack.  Neither of us probably don’t want a replay.

“I think there will be chances, it’s generally who takes their chances on the day, that’s what it’s all about to be fair.”

When asked about his past FA Cup experiences Forster, who began his career playing for Horley Town back in 1991, said, “As a player, it was never great.  I think I got to the fifth round before with Birmingham City but never beyond that.

“It’s the one competition that everyone seems to remember as a child watching.  Everyone has a different memory of The FA Cup.  In my days, the Liverpool years watching them and the Keith Houchen diving header (scoring for underdogs Coventry City in the 1997 FA Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur).

“Back in the olden days, I shouldn’t say it like that as I sound old, without the likes of Sky TV broadcasting football 24-7, it was a big event.  The FA Cup Final was the only time that football would be on (television) from ten o’clock in the morning until six in the evening, all on the one channel, all in one day.  It really was a special event.”

Dover Athletic fans loved every minute of their FA Cup campaign last season, which started with a 5-1 win over Kent League side Erith Town and saw them gain national exposure and accolades for beating Andy Hessenthaler’s Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium and Aldershot Town at Crabble before going out at Huddersfield Town in the third round last January.

“There’s a long way to go,” said Forster. “We’ve got a tough tie Saturday, I’m sure, because they’re playing well in their league and they will be full of confidence. 

“I think it will be a tough ask on Saturday but having said that if we apply ourselves right, don’t become complacent and don’t take things for granted, then we’ll be a good match for them.

“I’d’ like to hope that we can come through the tie but you have to prepare yourselves right for these games.”

Reflecting on last night’s 6-3 win at Maidstone United, who play two division’s lower, in the second round of the Kent Senior Cup, Forster said: “It was a little bit of a game of two halves.  I was happy being 3-0 up at half-time, but sometimes it’s difficult to maintain those levels of concentration when physiologically it’s easy to feel the game was won by then.

“I wasn’t particularly happy in the manner we let in the goals.  We were defending very, very well up until then but the three goals we let in were poor in my mind.  I don’t mind letting goals in as long as we can hold our hands up and say that was a fantastic goal, but none of them were.

“To draw the second half 3-3, if you like, was a little bit disappointing.”

Visit Dover Athletic’s website: www.doverathletic.com  

Dover Athletic  v  Wroxham
The FA Cup with Budweiser Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 15^th October 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Crabble, Lewisham Road, River, Dover, Kent CT17 0JB