I've enjoyed my time at Fisher but I'm undecided at the moment, says co-manager Martin Ford

FISHER co-manager Martin Ford says he faces a fight to keep his highly-rated youngsters at the club.


Ford teamed up with Billy Walton (senior) at the end of January when the club were rooted to the foot of the Kent League table with only one win and four draws from their opening sixteen league games.

But since taking charge the former VCD Athletic boss has stamped his authority on the club and yesterday’s 2-1 smash-and-grab win at bitter rivals Beckenham Town was their sixth win in sixteen games under the new management team, which also contains former Crockenhill boss Keith Jarvis.

The Fish completed their 32-match Kent League campaign in the bottom four, having collected 7 wins and 7 draws.

“We’ve got a fantastic set-up down here, fantastic players,” said Ford, who works without a playing budget at Champion Hill.

“I don’t know whether we can keep them. We really need to sit down with the club now, the committee and talk to them and see where they want to go with Fisher Football Club.

“As I’ve said before we know we can take the club up to the next level if we want. We probably won’t have the tools next year. I think it’s a question of getting some of these youngsters bedded into the first team and let them play because we maybe haven’t got the money to go out and get the experience.

“We need to go out and get a few more players. I’ll do that in pre-season and so will Bill and Keith but we need to sit down with the committee and see where it takes us.”

One player who is destined for a bright future in the game is outstanding injured goalkeeper Billy Hensman, 17, and central defender Ben Frempah, 18.

Hensman made a string of outstanding saves during the first half when Jason Huntley’s side ripped Fisher to streads – only for the half-time score to be level at 1-1 after Danny Willis cancelled out Damian Ramsamy’s early opener.

Fisher stole the three points and the local bragging rights when Harvey Hanifan headed home Danny Akers’ cross – both players aged eighteen.

“We had people who put in good shifts yesterday,” said Ford.

“I brought Ben Frempah back. He’s better than the Kent League to be honest with you. I spoke to Ben.  Ben left us a few weeks ago. He was a bit disheartened after the VCD game but I spoke to him, got him back yesterday and I said he’d be better off playing in front of a few people instead of sitting at home and let people have a look at him again and I thought he was superb.”

Ford added he is willing to give the club’s youngsters a chance to come through into the first team picture next season.

“They’re all coming through and putting pressure on me to play them,” said Ford.

“You can’t play too many of them all at once! I’ve learnt that over the years that I’ve been in football.  You need to bring them in and bed them but they’re all going to get their chance, all of them will.”

When asked about his own future, Ford revealed: “I’m not sure. I’ll be totally honest with you.  I’ve enjoyed my time at Fisher. I don’t know.

“I know Bill and Keith would like to (stay) but I’m undecided at the moment. I’ve got huge work commitments and that’s why I dropped out of football in the first place.

“But this is a smashing little football club to be a part of. They’re lovely people, you couldn’t wish to work with better people. Hopefully I can sit down with Bill and Keith and we can sit down and sort something out, but at this time I don’t know what I’m doing.”

When asked what he needs to stay at the club, Ford replied: “I’m not fussed about a budget. If a budget comes along then I’ll go out and get the players that I need to go and get and so will the other people involved in the management set-up.

“The reality is it will be our team at the start of next season. We haven’t have to keep making wholesale chances. The team that will start at the start of the year will be a Fisher 11, Billy Walton, Keith Jarvis Martin Ford 11, so on that point of view we can get hold of them in pre-season. I know the lads are keen to stay. I know there’s a lot of interest in the young lads, so hopefully we can keep them together.”

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