All I want for Christmas are some more points, says Whitstable Town boss Nicky Southall

Friday 20th December 2013

WHITSTABLE TOWN manager Nicky Southall says he is looking forward to some Christmas crackers.

The Oystermen are in the bottom six in the Ryman League Division One South table with 23 points form 18 games, but have games in hand on their rivals due to their epic eight-match FA Carlsberg Trophy run.

Southall guided the club to the Second Round and were so close to forcing a replay against Conference South side Ebbsfleet United, who snatched a last-gasp winner to win 2-1 at The Belmont last Saturday.

“My players and supporters were fantastic and on another day we could have caused a massive shock and I think Ebbsfleet dodged a bullet,” said a proud Southall today.

Whitstable Town welcome sixteenth-placed Redhill to The Belmont tomorrow and a win over the Surrey side will bring Whitstable Town level on points.

Southall said: “We played Redhill on a lovely summers day, it was our first game of the season, which produced a end-to-end game that could have gone either way. It eventually turned out to be a 3-3 draw.”

But Whitstable Town supporters are relishing the trip to bitter rivals Herne Bay on Boxing Day, Thursday 26 December (3pm).

Sam Denly’s side are presently sitting in ninth-place in the table with 31 points from 22 games and are four points adrift of fifth-placed Faversham Town.

Whitstable Town then play two Kent derbies at home against midtable Hythe Town (28 December) and fifth-from-bottom side Sittingbourne on New Years Day.

Southall said: “Christmas and New Year periods are generally a fans’ dream as it’s all local derbies and so they don’t have to travel too far especially Boxing Day when we play our local rivals Herne Bay.

“Let’s hope we’re all talking about how good the game was and not explaining to press, chairman and the board regarding players’ conduct.
“I want to be talking to the press on how good the game is and I’m sure (Herne Bay manager) Sam Denly will echo that. Let’s hope it’s a great game for all concerned.”

Southall is looking forward to facing Scott Porter’s Hythe Town side for a fifth time – having defeated them at the second attempt in the FA Trophy earlier on in the season.

Southall said: “There’s no rest bite as we again play Hythe Town who we are now on first name terms with as this is the fifth time we’ve played them this season and just to spice things up my captain from earlier this season is coming home as I regard Whitstable Town as his home.

“New Years Day is a decent game at home to Sittingbourne where Matty (Wyatt) has and is doing a sterling job there and we speak frequently and again there’s some old faces in their team in Tom Brunt and George Crimmen – so welcome back guys.”

Reflecting on the campaign so far, Southall said: “So far this season has been a roller-coaster as we started slowly as we put together basically a new team and a new squad as we’ve signed at least twenty new players so it was always going to take time to gel together but now I think we are now seeing all the hard work both on and off the field with my players and coaching staff.

“I don’t like looking too far ahead but all I want for Christmas are some more points – corny I know but it’s probably what all managers throughout the leagues will secretly say that.

“To all you fans of local Kent football have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk

Whitstable Town v Redhill
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 21^st December 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Belmont, Belmont Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 4LN