Don't expect to see any familiar faces at Faversham, says Dover Athletic boss Martin Hayes

DOVER ATHLETIC boss Martin Hayes says he is taking a squad of trialists to play Faversham Town at Salters Lane on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.


A squad of up to nineteen players will face the Ryman League Division One South side, as Hayes’ first team stars will be on the training ground to prepare for next Tuesday’s home clash against Ryman Premier League Hastings United.

“Well, it’s going to be a pretty much a mixed bag,” Hayes said of his team personnel ahead of their first warm-up match.

“All of the first team players will be training Saturday as we’ve only trained four times.  We’ve got a game on Tuesday against Hastings so we need to get our fitness up to a reasonable level really before we want to start playing games.

“Saturday will be a chance for me to look at all the trialists’ who have been down training, obviously flitting between club’s, released by pro clubs, young lads’ who want to have an opportunity at Dover.

“So it’s a chance to look at all those and lads’ from the Academy who might be close to getting involved with the first team.

“It will be a chance against Faversham, where it’s not going to be as intense as the Hastings game, but it’s probably just a little bit early for the first teamers to really have a game.

“I want them a little bit fitter than they are now.”

When asked about how many first team players will be facing Ray Turner’s side, Hayes said, “Not many, don’t expect to see any familiar faces.”

Hayes added: “I’ll probably have about 18-19 players and there’s some lads, a couple who were with me at Bishop’s Stortford, when we were in Blue Square South who have drifted around when they left after I left, lads who played 40-50 games in Blue Square South and I just want to have a look at them again and see what shape they’re in.

“There’s about three or four of them, there’s a young lad released from Gillingham.  It’s a mixed bag, you never know we might come across a couple of gems and then we’ll see.  I need to look at these players in a game instead of giving them ten minutes somewhere and if there’s any good ones we’ll get them involved on Tuesday against Hastings.  If not there may be an ideal opportunity for someone like Faversham to see these players, it might be something for them.”

When asked what he wants out of the six-week pre-season, Hayes said: “Well, you’ve got six weeks basically, it’s how long you want to build your fitness up with the players over the six weeks, get people used to each other.

“We’re focusing on some tough games this year, Ebbsfleet away is tough, Ostend at home and Arsenal at home.  They’re all close together and are going to ask us questions in games we may struggle in but then we’re going to use that and work with things with players.

“Six weeks is a good period to get yourself to know the players a little bit and try different players in different positions and formations and see what suits us.”

Arsenal legend Hayes will be making a quick getaway from Faversham as he is playing in the London Masters Football Tournament at Wembley Arena on Saturday evening.

Visit Dover Athletic’s website: www.doverathletic.com

Faversham Town  v  Dover Athletic
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 9^th July 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND