Constable opts for move to Kent League side Tunbridge Wells

Whitstable Town manager Marc Seager isn’t happy with the inconsistent start made by his side during their first eight Ryman League Division One South games, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Oystermen have found the going tough in their new surroundings and have picked up eight points and find themselves in the bottom seven - one place above local rivals’ Chatham Town who have a similar budget to them.

But Seager is very optimistic that the club’s first ever season in the division would be a major stepping stone for the Belmont club.

“We are in a new league, if you like, with the big boys now and although some of the results so far have pleased me, others have been very much below par,” he told www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk.

“We are adjusting to the Ryman, just not as quickly as I would like.”

Whitstable welcome a Leatherhead side to The Belmont on Saturday (1pm) that’s fifth in the table.

But the Surrey side have played more games (10) than any one else and have lost four times in the league.

“The players know that I will always do my best to put out the strongest side I can,” said Seager, whose side clinched the Kent League double last term.

“They also know that if we need players to strengthen certain positions then I will not hesitate to bring in new players.

“That is always providing they are within my budget. The club works hard to give me whatever I want, within what we as a club can afford, and we work together.”

Seager can only dream in having the same finances as both Ramsgate and Maidstone United, who romped their way from the Kent League into the Ryman Premier League in the space of just two seasons.

He said: “They both went and won the league at the first time of asking, but the both did on the sort of budget I would die for.”

One player to leave the club, however, is striker Andy Constable, who has joined rejuvenated Kent League side Tunbridge Wells.

Wells boss Martin Farnie has been after the former Bromley and Sevenoaks Town striker for a long time, and hopes to get all the paperwork sorted out to enable him to play against Herne Bay in the Kent League Cup at Culverden Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

Speaking before the transfer was announced, Seager added: Seager added: “That does not mean we lack the means to progress at Whitstable Town.

“We have good players at the club and the backup I get from the club I can’t fault.

“We had a great season last year, this is about learning and I just think it’s about time that others took a reality check at where we are and how far we have come in the few years since I have been at the club.

“I and my staff know what we need to do and will not stop working to move the club forward to make us stronger each year.”

Farnie, meanwhile, firmly believes Constable’s capture will enable his side to climb away from the bottom four in the Kent League table.

Tunbridge Wells showed true grit and determination during their two games with Thamesmead Town in the FA Vase this week - and that his side has now set themselves a benchmark for improvement.

“Now we’ve set our benchmark, we’ve got to turn up and play like that week in, week out, and then we should be ok,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I’ve got the start of something really good here. The squad that we’ve got here, I think we’ll end up midtable.

“I think maybe top ten, hopefully, that’s where I want to be and then we can push on.

“They’re all fit and healthy so for the next few years our plan is sort of working towards where we want be in three or four years time.”

Visit club websites:

www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk

www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk

Whitstable Town v Leatherhead
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 13^th October 2007
Kick Off 1:00pm
At The Belmont, Belmont Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1QP