Dalers' didn't match my own Ryman League ambitions, reveals Beckingham

TONY BECKINGHAM says he quit Holmesdale because the club couldn’t fulfil his own ambitions of clinching promotion into the Ryman League, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Bromley outfit are SECOND in the Bulmers Cider Kent League table after 17 games - just two points behind Hythe Town.

But the Oakley Road club issued a very brief statement this morning, announcing that Beckingham had resigned on Tuesday night.

Beckingham, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight, said that he told his players of his decision after Tuesday night’s 1-1 home draw against a youthful and quick Grays Athletic side in a friendly.

But it appears that off-the-field issues have forced Beckingham to make his decision to resign after nearly five years at the club.

Ken Thurgood, meanwhile, said this evening that he, club coach Billy Hughes and goalkeeping coach Tony Prime all remain at the club.

“The fact that we didn’t apply for promotion is one factor,” revealed Beckingham. “It’s by no means the only reason, but it is one factor in this scenario.

“The football side of it is great and that certainly isn’t a problem and that’s one of the reason’s I’ve decided to go now, so I can’t be accused at a later date of taking the easy option and blaming a few defeats. Then it looks like I’ve walked away after losing a couple of games.

“We’re sitting very well in the league and in the quarter-finals of the League Cup, so I can be walking away and leaving the club in a healthy state.”

Holmesdale have certainly achieved plenty during the five years that Beckingham has been at the club, as he recalls, “I was asked to go down there by a friend and took over the reserves halfway through the season and we went on and won the reserve cup that year.

“I then took over the first team the season after that, we were in division one west of the Kent County League and went on to win the Surrey Cup that year and the league title and got into the inter-regional final of the Kent County League.

“We got beat in the final by Norton Sports, they were in the premier division by the way, then we got promoted, won the Kent County premier at the first attempt and then applied and got accepted into the Kent League.

“We admit we took a season to find our feet, but this year we’ve turned into a competitive, and hopefully, a respected football team.”

Beckingham will be watching Ashford Town’s Ryman League Division One South game with Burgess Hill Town at The Homelands on Saturday to catch up with former Dalers’ coach, Hugo Langton.

And getting back into football management is high on Beckingham’s agenda.

He said: “There’s no vacancies out there; I’m not going to go out there and steal anybody’s job, but I’m looking to get back in football as soon as possible - that’s really all I can say.

Beckingham added: “I’ve loved every minute of it and the only regret I’ve got is that it’s come to this. It’s a great club, lots of lovely people down there.

“Unfortunately, how can I put this, it’s about football, unfortunately the football didn’t work out the way I was hoping.

“I definitely was hoping to be a Ryman League manager with Holmesdale in the future. The deadline’s gone and this year we’ve got no chance. To be honest I can’t see it happening in the foreseeable future.”

Visit Holmesdale's website: www.holmesdalefc.co.uk