Experience will give us the Edge, says Cugley - EXCLUSIVE

Folkestone Invicta manager Neil Cugley feels his side are better equipped for life in the Ryman Premier League this season, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Buzzlines Stadium club escaped the drop by the skin of their teeth on the final day of last season, but this shouldn’t happen this time around.

Mark Saunders’ influence has enticed three former Gillingham players to the club in wing-back, Roland Edge and defenders, Charlie Glyde and Frankie Chappell, whilst Cugley has swooped to sign Charlie Mitten (Margate), right-wing back, David Piper (Bognor Regis Town), midfielder, Ryan Briggs (Dartford) and former Cray Wanderers’ striker, Leigh Bremner from Dulwich Hamlet.

An eighth summer signing, Bulgarian Illiyan Pamukov, who impressed when he played during pre-season, has returned back home.

“At the end of the day, I’m not being funny, he can’t live on the money that Folkestone pay him,” Cugley said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk  following their 2-2 draw at Dulwich Hamlet tonight.

“I think he struggled to get a job and obviously financially he just couldn’t live of that sort of money, so he’s decided to go back to Bulgaria.”

Cugley admitted that he knows “nine or ten” of the players that will embark on their Ryman Premier League campaign, when Wealdstone visit Cheriton Road next Saturday, 18^th August.

“I’ve got nine or ten definitely, I say, not far off it,” he said. “I near enough know it.

“I think it’s quite a strong side, it’s quite experienced in certain areas, but also today, James Everitt came on and done ever so well.

“Some of the younger lads that done as well last year, who aren’t really known, some of those players have to show their better than them.”

Cugley is pleased that Ellis Remy has netted on four occasions during their first eight pre-season friendlies, and that he’s also got Bremner and former Hythe Town striker, Damian Abel to choose from.

“We’ve got three good forwards now,” he beamed. “I think we have, with Ellis Remy, Damian Abel and Bremner, it’s nice.

“You’re not sitting there thinking “Christ, one goes off, what can we do now?”

And Cugley, who has asked for a crowd of over 400 to flock through the turnstiles to watch their opening game, wants to get off to a flying start.

“It wasn’t much fun, it became a bit tiring last year, a little unjoyable so we want to make sure we try and start the season a lot better and get into the midtable, and then look at it and if we need to strengthen or whatever, to really have a bit of a push,” said Cugley, whose now in his eleventh season in charge of the club.

“Last couple of years it’s been really difficult (at the start), we always played the Wimbledon’s and teams like that.

“On paper, it’s easier, but if you don’t pick up points in them games, you know you’ve got to put it right and change things around.”

Cugley revealed he’s got “a little more” money to play with this season - hence the quality signings that he’s made.

So he really needs crowds of over 400 to watch the team in action.

“Anything over 400 really. It’s up to me to show that the club’s trying to kick on really, that we’re not making up numbers up in the league,” said Cugley.

“It’s been like that, financial restrictions have always been tight at Folkestone but at the moment, we’re trying to give it a go without going too mad but we are trying to do better than we have done in the past.”

On his budget, he added: “It’s a little bit more, not a lot more, but we’ve been able to get in a bit more quality players. People like Roland Edge, David Piper and (Leigh) Bremner - it makes us a lot more stronger.

“More experienced in the right areas but that’s no disrespect to the lads that done well last year.

“Don’t forget that we beat Bromley and Chelmsford with basically a bunch of kids, so these lads have to show they’re better than them.”

Invicta take their reserve side and first team squads to Ryman League Division One South outfit, Horsham YMCA on Saturday - their last warm up before the big kick-off.

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk