Faversham Town boss Justin Luchford targets the 50 point mark to maintain Ryman League status

Tuesday 17th August 2010

FAVERSHAM TOWN boss Justin Luchford says his side will go into the Ryman League with a more professional attitude than their Kent League days, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Lilywhites clinched the Kent League title and the Kent Senior Trophy last season and they kick-off their inaugural Ryman League Division One South campaign on Saturday with a trip to Brighton to lock horns with Sussex County League champions Whitehawk.

“It’s certainly a baptism of fire, FA Vase semi-finalists and they’re obviously got things going on down there and they will be a tough nut to crack without a shadow of a doubt,” Luchford told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“They are a good side, they proved that last year. I understand they’ve made a few big signings, they’re budget’s not too bad down there at all.

“It’s a bit of a trek for us as well. We’re used to doing these treks once a season for the FA Cup (during our Kent League days) and we have to get used to these now every other week to a certain degree.

“We’re all very excited and after two training sessions this week I’ll finalise the squad and the team and we’ll be ready to go come Saturday.”

Luchford admits pre-season hasn’t been kind to him as he prepares for the nine months ahead.

“What I will say, at this point, we are two weeks behind everyone else because pre-season didn’t go particularly well,” Luchford, who has been hit by players’ going on holidays and getting married, added.

Luchford has brought in some good players this summer including Jake Leberl (Dover Athletic), Richard Avery (Chatham Town), Matt Bourne (Sittingbourne), Danny Lye (Ashford Town), Danny Hunt (Greenwich Borough) and Justin Ascheri (Chatham Town).

“We’re still a self-funding club, and we also have to look at budgets and things like that and money is, especially in the current climate, still going to be tight, so it’s trying to get players in, the right players in at the right price.

“They’re fairly big signings, without the need of going out and spending a whole load of money, which is good.

“One of the main reasons players sign for this club is because of the ambitions of the club. That’s why I’m here for, I want to progress and go up and go as far as we possibly can.

“Don’t get me wrong, we need to consolidate first and make sure we’ve got a base to work from. These lads are here because they see the club’s going forward and we do things the right way, so it’s great to have them on board.”

Salters Lane - now called the Shepherd Neame Stadium following the local brewery securing a two-year deal for the naming rights - is buzzing ahead of the new season, but fans have to wait until Tuesday 24th August before it stages Ryman League football, when Walton & Hersham visit.

“There will be a buzz and there will be excitement but if we go down (to Whitehawk) and lose 4-0 the excitements quickly going to drift away,” said Luchford.

“I’ve tried to say to the players and the rest of the club, we need to look at the bigger picture. It’s not all about Saturday. It’s all about this season and the 42 league games plus cup games so we’re looking at 50 games and I’ll certainly be spending enough time with football this year but that’s got to be the focus.

“We’ve got to hit the target of 50 points and if we hit them then we can talk about other things.”

Luchford calls upon the people of Faversham to flock through the turnstiles for the visit of Walton & Hersham - as more bums on seats will move the club further forward.

“It doesn’t matter what I do on the pitch, what players I bring in, if we don’t get the support, we can’t move forward,” explained Luchford.

“We don’t have a massive financial backer. We have Shepherd Neame coming on board, who are fairly big, but the modest amounts that come in, I don’t know what the numbers are, but we are self funding and without these people coming through the gates supporting us we’re going to struggle.

“We did well last year, the attendances were good. We had a few over 300, which was fantastic.

“It’s a shame the (first home game) is on a Tuesday. The first league game on a Saturday is against Metropolitan Police on 4 September and we’re earmarking that for a decent crowd but we need the people of this town getting behind us like they have done since I’ve been here.”

Luchford and his squad will have to adopt a more professional approach in the Ryman League this season, as the manager explained.

“Football’s all about your Saturday’s at the end of the day, that’s why we all do it for,” he said.

“I’m well looking forward to the Boxing Day games, New Years’ Day games. It puts all the family plans a little bit out of the window. We’re normally spend Boxing Day as a family together and we have a few beers - that’s going to change this year!

“New Years Eve is going to change a little bit this year.

“At the end of the day the players are semi-pro footballers now. They do get expenses and they’re expected to be here three times a week. It’s their job and I’m not giving them expenses just to turn up and kick a football around the pitch. They're here to do a job and we have to be more professional.”

Visit Faversham Town’s website: www.favershamtownfc.co.uk

Whitehawk v Faversham Town

Ryman League Division One South

Saturday 21st February 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At East Preston Park, Wilson Avenue, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 5TS