Kentish Football 
New signings will improve us, says McMahon
Sunday 19th July 2009
THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon admits that he learnt many things throughout the club’s first season in Ryman League Division One North last term, writes Stephen McCartney.
McMahon, who is also a director at the Bayliss Avenue outfit, guided the Mead to safety, finishing in the bottom five, but hopes are higher this time around with many new signings.
Goalkeeper Steve Northwood (Maidstone United), defender James Campbell (Whitstable Town), midfielder Marcus Perona (Whitstable Town) and strikers Andy Constable (Sevenoaks Town), Calib Kamara-Taylor (ex-Fisher Athletic) and Carlton Fairweather (formerly of Beckenham Town, Fisher Athletic and Burnley) have all arrived in the summer.
The biggest casualty so far to leave the club is prolific striker Rikki Cable, who has yet found himself a new club.
“We done well last year to stay up in our first year,” McMahon told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
“Obviously you set yourselves high standards, this year we’ve had a look, we’ve seen what we have to do.
“We’ve seen Aveley go up and you compare against (last season’s champions) East Thurrock and people like that and I knew what I had to do.
“We’ve let a few go and I’ve brought some players in and hopefully we’ll have a very good season and that’s the main thing.”
Thamesmead opened their pre-season campaign at Folkestone Invicta on Saturday and performed well, but were beaten courtesy of a Lee Radford strike in the 56th minute.
McMahon takes his men to another Ryman League Division One South side in the shape of Whitstable Town on Saturday and he’s looking forward to receiving a friendly welcome at Belmont Road.
“I have the utmost respect for Whitstable,” said McMahon. “I’m friends with Marc Seager, whose no longer (their manager), but as clubs we get on really well.”
The Mead kick-off their new league campaign with a home game against newly promoted side Lowestoft Town on 15 August.
And he says that any player that impresses him between now and then will be certain of a place in his first day starting eleven.
“You set your stall out when you sign your players,” said McMahon. “You know what you think could be your eleven.
“The only thing is I’ll give everyone a chance and the doors open. My starting eleven today might (not) be my starting 11 because we’ve got Lewis Tozer (swine flu) and Tony Russell (still to come back into the side).
“We’ve got options but it is still open but you’ve got a rough idea. I’m 85% there but if anyone wants to knock on the door and shows some good form then they’ll start.”
Visit Thamesmead Town’s website: www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk
Whitstable Town v Thamesmead Town
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 25th July 2009
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Belmont, Belmont Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1QP
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd