Erith Town re-sign London Olympic Games medal hopeful

ERITH TOWN boss Tony Russell has pulled off a massive transfer coup ahead of the opening day of the Kent Hurlimann’s Football League season at Deal Town next Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.


Mahama Cho, 21, has put pen to paper for the Avenue Road based club, but it’s not only football that the Ivory Coast born central midfielder is famous for.

“I was eight years old when I started Taekwondo and it was part of my family heritage.  My dad, Zakaio Cho, was African National champion and someone people looked upto,” Cho said in an past interview with www.britishtaekwondo.org.uk.

Cho added: “I played semi pro football for Erith Town when I was 16.  At 17, I switched to Taekwondo.  It was a tough decision.  I can still hear my father saying ‘why’?

“When people see me outside the ring I am usually full of smiles.  They don’t know there is an aggressive side.  The ring is my kingdom and I am not going in for second best.”

Cho’s ambition is to win a medal at next year’s London Olympic Games – and Russell is looking forward to unleashing him in the blood and thunder of the Kent League before then.

“He was at the club a few years’ ago and went to Uni – he fights for Great Britain at Taekwondo, he’s number one in the world and he should be representing Great Britain in the Olympics and he’s one of the favourites for a medal,” said Russell.

“He played when Tommo (Mark Tompkins) was in charge a few years’ ago and walked in (this summer) and said he’s played before, ”can we have a look at him?”

“He’s six foot three, built, he’s a really good player.  He plays centre midfield, he scored two (in a 4-0 win at Bearsted on Saturday). He’s an absolute handful.  Out of all the players we’ve got, he’ll give us another dimension because Michael Phillips and Liam Burgess are really good footballers.  To be fair to Mo, he’s just an animal!”

“There won’t be too many people beating him in the air or will be stronger than him so if we need to go a little bit more direct this year, he gives us that option.  He’s just a genuine threat.”

When asked how pre-season has gone, Russell admitted, “Mixed bag.  Some good, some bad.  We’ve had a problem at the ground so it hasn’t been ideal.  We haven’t been able to train there.  We’ve got on with it now and we’re just looking forward to the season.”

Injury-prone central defender, Nick Davis (Thamesmead Town), Liam Burgess (back following an unsuccessful pre-season trial at Welling United), Michael Phillips (Maidstone United), Billy Shinners (Chatham Town) and former Cray Wanderers midfielder Dean Morris have arrived at the club in pre-season.

“To be fair, I’m happy with the players we’ve got in,” said Russell.

“We’ve worked on the shape a lot now and it’s coming good.  We had a good result Saturday and looked good as well.  We go there (to Deal) with confidence.  We’ve got to back our own abilities and that’s what we’re going to go.

“I try to keep up with what’s going on with other manager’s, what they say and try and get some ideas and it’s hard to see what everyone’s going to do until ten games in really.”

Russell said he is pleased with the strength in depth that he currently has at the club.

He said: “What’s different with us from last year, last year I thought we had a good eleven and when we got a few injuries and when Lee Morgan got injured we had nothing to fall on.  We didn’t have a squad as we had limited resources and I had to rely on youngsters.

“I’ve got a good squad.  I make no predictions.  I read that it’s Herne Bay, Erith & Belvedere and Fisher (challenging for the title) and I’m totally happy for people to say that.  We know what we’ve got in our dressing room.  Everyone at this time of the year is enthusiastic.  Within our dressing room, we had a chat Saturday after the game, with what we want to do this year and it will stay within our dressing room.  I think we’re going to be a handful – that’s all I can say. I won’t disrespect any other team saying we’re going to do this and do that.

“All I know is what we’ve got. I know we’ve got a decent side.”

Looking ahead to a tough physical battle at Deal Town on opening day, Russell said: “That’s why I asked to play Bearsted away on Saturday, because I wanted to go away and play a team that’s physical and in your face, they’re enthusiastic and without seeing Deal I couldn’t tell you but going there (Deal) last year that was an impression I got with them.

“Deal are a good side but you have to go there and nullify what they have and that’s why we went to Bearsted on Saturday.”

Erith Town lock horns with Ricky Bennett’s VCD Athletic side at Erith Sports Stadium on Monday, 15^th August.

Vickers finished a creditable third place in the league last season, whilst the Dockers finished in eighth place for the second successive season.

Russell said: “I’ve been to watch them a couple of times in pre-season to see what they are and they are what they are.  Ricky done it last year, they’re hard to beat and they all work hard for each other.  They’ve got pretty much the same (side) as last year.

“They’re a good side, there’s no thrills about them.  They haven’t got a couple of star players but they’re all good.  They’re all steady Eddie but to be fair we haven’t spoken about them or worked on anything yet- it’s all about Deal.”

Visit Erith Town’s website: www.erithtown.co.uk

Deal Town  v  Erith Town
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Saturday 13^th August 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Charles Sports Ground, St Leonards Road, Deal, Kent CT14 9BE