LEAGUE PRE-SEASON 2009/10

By Matt Harris

Welcome to Season 2009/10. Just when it looked like the Kent League couldn’t get any smaller, a rumour of Slade Green’s withdrawal reared its ugly head, and then there were 15… (although there could yet incredibly be 16 again!) While Fisher were elected into the league during the summer, the FA inexplicably allowed Croydon to move into the Combined Counties League, while champions VCD Athletic got promoted to the Ryman League.

So Slade Green’s resignation threatened that the league would operate with its smallest member-base since its first season in 1966 - three years before man walked on the moon! Things promised to get very cosy as the increasingly-smaller circle of member clubs huddled together for survival in choppy waters. That was until a Kent League EGM got scheduled for the Wednesday before the start of the season - specifically to arrange for Corinthian to be elected into the Kent League Premier Division.

Corinthian in their last Senior incarnation were last seen winning Kent League Division 1 in 2004 before disappearing off the radar to focus on Youth football. They have decent, floodlit facilities, and are rumoured to have a group of players who have outgrown their U18 team. As it transpired, it was agreed that Welling United's reserves (already playing at Gay Dawn Farm) in Division Two would be renamed Corinthian this season, and after that was agreed, it was also agreed that they should be elected into the Premier Division under the name. Aparently this is fine with the FA, with Corinthian not needing to be part of the national league structure.

While a last-minute replacement for Slade Green may have been found from nowhere on this occasion, the whole episode illustrates how delicate League membership is right now. The Kent League Committee continues to work hard to keep things ticking along, fighting a number of fires all the while.

A Step 6 division will be launched for 2010/11, presumably drawing mostly on ambitious Kent County League sides. The FA will need to outline who (Kent League or Kent County League) will administer the division, and one only hopes progressive thinking wins out over compromises on territory and tradition.

Right now, the horizon remains foggy, making it hard to tell exactly what lies ahead for Step 5 football in Kent (drawing new members is still a must), let alone Step 6. Like ships emerging from the mist, there are outlines and sounds of plans out there, but defining them will likely remain tricky until they’re about to hit you.

So back to our close-knit circle; the cup formats stay the same for 2009/10 - the only variation being that Hollands & Blair (managed by ex-Lordswood boss Paul Piggott) take the place of VCD in the Senior Trophy as Intermediate Challenge Shield winners.

Pre-season usually provides no shortage of players and managers hopping about the division (and beyond), and increasingly in this league the clubs themselves are also found to be ‘hopping’ around in ground-sharing agreements. This year the expected merry-go-round of activity from Kent League clubs didn’t disappoint, as you’ll see…

Beckenham Town - Beckenham plundered Orpington to sign goalkeeper Nicky Blue, defender Danny Gorman, midfielder Charlie Hawkes and hot-shot Gary Gorman, along with Ryan Hillary from Staines Town. Also reinstated into the FA Vase after a five-year ban, Beckenham hope to field ex-England & Manchester United forward Teddy Sheringham in their Vase games this year.

Croydon - Would they stay or would they go? The summer rumour mill suggested a move to the Combined Counties League was afoot, and so it was. Meantime, Lingfield-bound manager Tony Beckingham was replaced by a certain Mike Robbins (Tunbridge Wells).

Deal Town - As serene as a village duck pond, any splash coming out of Deal in the summer tends to ripple from other sources. Striker Stuart Vahid stepped up a division (Whitstable), and he’s apparently been replaced with Hythe’s Mo Takaloo.

Erith & Belvedere - The biggest departure from the club was that of joint manager Chris Cosgrove. Richie Radborne joins Paul Gorman in the hot seat. On the player front, striker Aiden Purseglove has left (Hythe). Incoming players included defenders Aaron Burrett (Herne Bay) and Danny Tipple (Whitstable); and strikers Lewis Collins (Waltham Abbey) & Stuart West (Snodland).

Erith Town - Returning to Erith Sports Stadium after a year at Thamesmead, the Dockers appointed ex-Cray hot-shot Chris Tuley manager of the reserves, and Ryan Royston (Maidstone) as a player/coach. Also signing: goalkeeper Jack Bradshaw (Cray); defender Scott Lewis; midfielders Steve Diamond & Sam O’Keefe (Thamesmead), Matt Parker (Crockenhill), Joe Plant (Sittingbourne), Drew Watkins; and forwards Andrew Killick, Dave Batt (both Thamesmead) & Richmond Kissi (Cray). Top-scorer Marcus Cassius has left to join Bromley.

Faversham Town - Among the title favourites, early summer signings for the Lilywhites included goalkeeper Rob French (Ebbsfleet United); defender James Gregory (Margate); midfielders Dale Skelton (Hythe) and Jimmy Corbett (Folkestone); and forward Mike Smissen (Hythe). Leaving are Wes Hammond and Ben Ives (both Lordswood-bound).

FISHER - Gary Linsey (former Fisher Athletic assistant manager) became the first man tasked with managing re-formed Fisher FC. The Fish will play at Dulwich Hamlet on a “strictly amateur basis" for this season, having assembled their squad after a series of open trials. 100 hopefuls showed for the first trial, and were quickly pruned down to 35.

Greenwich Borough - How would Borough continue with the local council wanting Harrow Meadow back? Once the dust had settled from that little rumpus, a three-year ground-share was in place at Holmesdale’s Oakley Road. Steve Firkins remains as manager with a similar squad to last year, to be assisted by Bill Walton.

Herne Bay - Simon Halsey has linked up with Bay from Whitstable Town to become assistant manager. Midfielder Rhys Lawson left the club (Ramsgate), while Aaron Burrett (Erith & Belvedere), Martin Chandler (Hythe) and Steven Lloyd (Whitstable) also left - but star-striker Stuart King stays. Joining the club are midfielder Bryan Greenfield (Hollands & Blair), Dave Crofts (Holmesdale), Sam Callander (Ebbsfleet) and Louis Valencia (Chatham Town).

Holmesdale - With the Oakley Road facilities being a sticking point for those thirsty for further progress last season, ground improvements should be ongoing throughout the new season - aided, no doubt, by rent money from new tenants Greenwich. Reserve team goalkeeper Ross Mitchell joins the coaching staff, while new signings included goalkeepers Dean Rose (Whyteleafe) and Michael Holder (Beckenham).

Hythe Town - Assistant manager Scott Porter takes charge after Paul Fisk stepped down for personal reasons. Armed with a significant advertising deal, striker Pat Kingwell and defender Dave Cook were immediately placed on contract, and although strikers Mo Takaloo and Buster Smissen, as well as midfielder Dale Skelton left, midfielders Buster Beaney (Lordswood), Gary Clarke (Thurrock) and striker Aiden Purseglove (Erith & Belvedere) join.

Lordswood - The Tunbridge Wells Old Boys’ network grew at Lordswood with the arrival of Vince Shell and Brian Curtin to take charge of the reserves. The Lords announced the signings of defenders Aaron Abbott (Ashford), Wes Hammond (Faversham) and Danny Keen (Tunbridge Wells); Jeremiah Fagan (Greenwich); and strikers Dave Hassett (VCD), Ben Ives (Faversham) & Scott Penfold (Ashford).

Norton Sports - Norton stay at Herne Bay for another season, while seeking permission to add a stand, floodlights and fence around their new ground at Woodstock Park - something they’d hoped to have gained already. Goalkeeper Mark Beresford (Margate) and forward Adam Todd (Herne Bay) join a full squad from last year. Scott Appleton becomes assistant manager.

Sevenoaks Town - The Oaks appointed a new assistant manager in Darrell Queeley. However, Sevenoaks will make do without the services of defender Jon Lord (Tunbridge Wells) and strikers Benji Agana (Tunbrige Wells) and Andy Constable (Thamesmead) for the new season. Midfielder Matt Foreman (Crowborough) joins though.

SLADE GREEN - Withdrew from the league owing to lack of backroom staff. Currently it is believed that this is a temporary measure. Youth football continues at Small Glen in the meantime.

Sporting Bengal United - While finishing a pointless season last year, Mamun Chowdhury, MBE (awarded for dedication to Asian grass-roots football) was appointed manager. Optimism centred on his “thorough local knowledge” and “a strong support network” in Mile End - something he’d have found useful as he whittled a 58+ list of BFA Summer League stand-outs into a squad for the new season.

Tunbridge Wells - With the club continuing to operate within its means, Martin Larkin was promoted to first team manager after Mike Robbins resigned. Brad Sandeman is Larkin’s assistant and Greg Thurstans coach. With the U21s disbanded for this season, new signings heralded the returns of defender Jon Lord (Sevenoaks), midfielders Kevin Brown and Alex Rich and forward Benji Agana (Sevenoaks) along with defenders Steve Ashmore (Rusthall) and Perry Spackman (Sevenoaks); midfielders Brad Draper (local football) Andy McMath (Nuneaton Griff) and forward Tom Reeves.

VCD ATHLEITC - Last year’s champions were promoted to the Ryman League.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS…

The topic of Guernsey Athletics’ plan to join the Kent League proved an attractive (number enhancing) prospect to some, but a Frankenstein’s Monster to others. Guernsey’s clubs were up-in-arms at the prospect that this outfit would dig up their best players and stitch them together to parade before the mainland scouts… A visible reaction was seen as St. Martins AC applied to be the first Guernsey side to enter the FA Vase for more than a decade: “We’re just trying to put the club into places where we can give the players the opportunities we had,” former St Martins player & senior coach Colin Fallaize told the BBC. How very considerate…

Regardless, nothing much will happen with Guernsey Athletics’ proposed move for now. “Even with an economy like Guernsey we’re not immune,” James Blower, commercial director told Kent on Sunday newspaper. “We were relying on the good-will and support from a number of businesses who are feeling the pressure…”

In a nut-shell, nothing guarantees ‘the Tics’ will be ready to apply for 2010/11, and the more cynically-inclined might wonder whether the Kent League would appear so attractive should a Step 6 obstacle appear in the meantime.

Unbelievably, though, the Kent League directly and indirectly looks to have facilitated a little bit of forward-thinking in the Channel Islands. Now let’s see how forward-thinking plays out in our own corner of the country... Over to Soho Square…

(Several Kent League club websites were sourced for this article. Also used to source information were www.bbc.co.uk, www.kentishfootball.co.uk, www.kentleague.com, www.kentonsunday.co.uk and www.tonykempster.co.uk).