Corinthian have the best training facilities in Kent, insists coach Douglas

Sunday 09th August 2009

ANDY DOUGLAS says players that play for his Corinthian side will receive top quality training facilities - and will have the opportunity to progress, writes Stephen McCartney.

The head coach at the Gay Dawn outfit wants to hear from players who would like to don the green and white hooped shirt for Corinthian’s first Bulmers Cider Kent League game at Beckenham Town’s Eden Park Avenue on Saturday, 22nd August 2009.

Although players will be solely amateur, Rochester based Douglas, 50, insists Corinthian is the club for ambitious players that want to progress.

Douglas played in the same Corinthian team as Kent football legend Andy Hessenthaler, who has also played for the likes of Dartford, Redbridge Forest, Watford, Gillingham, Hull City, Barnet and Dover Athletic.

And fans of both Gillingham and Dover Athletic know what a good manager Hessenthaler is, considering that in the past two season’s, he has guided Dover to back-to-back titles at Crabble.

And Newham-born Jimmy Bullard also started at Corinthian, before making 30 appearances for Gravesend & Northfleet before being signed by West Ham United, the club that he supported, for a transfer fee of £30,000 in 1999.

He then went on to play for Peterborough United, Wigan Athletic (£275,000), Fulham (£2.5m) and became fellow Premier League club Hull City’s record transfer signing (5m) when he signed for the club last January.

But back to today, Corinthian face a race against time to get a team together for their opening game at Eden Park Avenue in under two weeks time.

The club applied for Kent League premier status following Slade Green’s withdrawal and were voted in at the Kent League EGM, which was held at Lordswood last Wednesday evening.

And with only three senior players on their books - the rest are youngsters from the excellent youth system at the club - Douglas would like to hear from players that are capable of playing at this level of football.

“We heard about Slade Green’s challenges, but it was a bit of a surprise and certainly being quite late the news of the decision, it has caught us a little bit on a hop,” Douglas told www.kentishfootball.co.uk this afternoon.

“We are primarily youth teams from under 13s up to under 18s. We have some outstanding under 17s and under 18 players but to raise a team for the Kent League premier is going to be a challenge to us.

“The league has kindly given us two weeks grace and we are actively looking for experienced players to sign before the 22nd.

“We are in contact with seven or eight players but they have signed for clubs.”

Douglas has signed his son, Adam, 24, a centre midfielder; left-sided midfielder Sam Jeffreys and Martin DiFede.

Speaking about the trio, he said: “Adam started with Gillingham as a youth player and played for Sittingbourne, Lordswood and he’s been with Chatham.

“Sam has been playing senior football but not in the Kent League and Martin was with Chelsea with a youth team and has been with several Kent and Southern League clubs.”

Douglas, meanwhile, hasn’t set his targets high in their first season back at this level of football.

“We have to be realistic,” he said. “I don’t know many clubs who have been put in our fortunate position and we are planning for the future.

“Realistically we have set a goal of finishing outside of the bottom three.”

By visiting the club website, it is clear that the club has excellent facilities for players and Douglas believes that will be the main attraction for players, considering that the club will NOT be paying anyone.

“Corinthian is dedicated to playing quality football,” he said. “If you look at the facilities, we have probably got the best training facilities in the county of Kent. We have two floodlit pitches that are like bowling greens. We have two third generation training pitches, one outside and one indoors and further training areas.

“One thing the club will do is provide high quality coaching. We have a team of very qualified coaches and the manager, who is Tony Sitford, a former professional at Brighton and the long-term manager of Gravesend & Northfleet (who are now called Ebbsfleet United), has been with Corinthian for over 20 years and took the club into the Southern League a number of years ago.

“That’s when I played for him. Andy Hessenthaler was a player in our team then and when I left Jimmy Bullard was at Corinthian.

The latest youngster that has come off the Corinthian conveyer belt is midfielder Ben Greenhalgh, who impressed Welling United boss Andy Ford so much during the Blue Square South club’s 1-1 draw against League One Charlton Athletic last month, that he offered him a one-year contract.

And Ford revealed yesterday that Greenhalgh, “is still with us but is off to MILAN soon for a month where he will be working for the chance to earn a year’s contract with Jose Mourinho’s side.”

And Douglas said, “We have excellent facilities, we have outstanding youth players. A lot of our boys are being watched.

“Ben is an outstanding player with ability like Ronaldo (who Real Madrid paid £80m to Manchester United for). He’s left footed, extremely gifted and a player Tony and I spotted in a trial with us two years ago. He’s got tremendous potential. This guy has got amazing ability. I’m really surprised he hasn’t been spotted so far.”

Douglas explained that Welling United’s reserve side played at Corinthian in Kent League Division Two last season, but explained the current situation with the Wings.

“Welling are still using our facilities for training,” he said. “We still work hand in hand with Andy Ford and the board at Welling United. There’s still a joint partnership.

“Welling United reserves are now in the Suburban League - and will still play at Corinthians. We’ve kept our place in Kent League Division Two (as Corinthian‘s reserves).”

* Experienced players that would like to have a trial for Corinthian’s first team should contact Andy Douglas on 07766 550 957 - mentioning that you read this article on www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

Visit Corinthian's website: www.corinthiansportsclub.co.uk