Maidstone United show interest in Norton Sports striker Andy Irvine

Wednesday 01st December 2010

NORTON SPORTS player-manager Ben Taylor has revealed Maidstone United have offered target-man Andy Irvine a one-match trial this month, writes Stephen McCartney.

Taylor, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk today, says Stones boss Andy Ford will play Irvine during the club’s Kent Senior Cup tie against Ebbsfleet United on 7 December.

Irvine, 25, has scored 4 goals in 13 appearances for the Kent League side this season, and has also attracted interest from their rivals Erith Town, having scored a couple of goals against the Dockers at the end off October.

But Taylor would rather off-load the striker to a Ryman Premier League club than a Kent League rival.

“Andy Ford, who has taken over at Maidstone United, has given me a phone call and he wants to take Andy Irvine on a one-match trial,” said Taylor.

“He will be playing for Maidstone against Ebbsfleet in the Kent Senior Cup.

“He wants him at Maidstone, so I’ve pushed Andy (Irvine) into it. He wants to have a go at a higher level. I’m more than happy for him to go for it.

“It’s really disappointing to lose him to be honest. Hopefully he’ll go there and do the business and get himself a bit of money.”

Norton Sports, like many other Kent League club’s don’t pay their players, and Taylor feels a move into the Ryman Premier League would bring the best out of his player.

“He’s not going to go to another team in our league,” said Taylor, who has previously played for Fisher Athletic and his home-town club Sittingbourne.

“I said it’s got to be a big club like Maidstone, where he can potentially push on and be a good player at that level for a big club at that level.

“I hope it works out for him. If it don’t, I will tell him to keep his head down.

“Hopefully Andy Ford can push him from here. I really want him to push on. As much as I want to keep him at Norton I would love to see him go from Norton to a higher level like Maidstone so hopefully he can go on.”

With snow causing havoc around Kent during the past two day’s, Taylor reflected on his side’s campaign so far.

The Sittingbourne based side are presently in tenth place in the Kent League table, with 2 wins and 6 draws from 11 league outings.

“I’m a bit disappointed, I feel we could have been sixth to be honest,” said Taylor.

“I think we should have had at least seven points out of the nine, but that’s football, that’s the way it goes.

“We’ve had players missing, myself, Jack Goodger, Lewis Rivett, my brother Danny, Rob Welling’s injured, so you’re talking about five players for at least three games.

“Other than that, I’m pretty happy, but I just think we could have done a little bit better.

“It’s brilliant being back to Woodstock, I love it! The atmosphere there is brilliant. They’ve got the fence separating the pitch; got a couple of banners around; the stand’s up; all the netting’s up, it’s just looking good down there.

“It’s a shame it wasn’t done during the summer as we’ve got a lot more supporters. Hopefully next year we’ll have a lot more backing from local supporters.”

Taylor, 30, who has scored only once this season, against VCD Athletic, and has already picked up five yellow cards this season, urges his playing personnel to keep their bodies ticking over during this crippling cold snap.

He said: “I’m just trying to do pretty much what I do really, I do mine more because I’m getting a bit older, they’ve got to look after themselves.

“We haven’t got the facilities or the money to hire indoor facilities out so you’ve got to look after yourself really, go to the gym a couple of times a week or go for a jog, just keep yourself ticking over.

“There’s not much you can do about it (the weather). Hopefully they’ve got the right attitude, if they don’t then they’ll find themselves out of the team.”

Norton Sports are scheduled to travel down to Deal Town on Saturday, and the Taylor brothers are available, and Rivett and Danny Baverstock have completed suspensions.

“I don’t think it will be going ahead, but if it does I’m confident,” said Taylor.

“We’ll go down there, we won there last year, there’s no reason why we can’t win there again.”

Speaking about his aspirations for the rest of the season, the central defender added: “Another four places up the league, that would be nice. Hopefully Santa can drop that off for us and we’ll be laughing if we can get up there.

“We’ve finished in eleventh place two years on the bounce. I think we’re an easy top 6-7 side. I believe that comfortably.

“I think we’re not in a position we should be in so I’m hoping we can push on from here.”

Visit Norton Sports’ website: http://www.webteams.co.uk/Home.aspx?team=nortonsportsfc

Deal Town v Norton Sports

Safety Net Associates Kent League

Saturday 4th December 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Charles Sports Ground, St Leonards Road, Deal, Kent CT14 9BE