Foley: I am happier to be in Ryman One North

Monday 21st June 2010

CHATHAM TOWN have received confirmation today some news that they didn’t want to really hear - they will be playing in Ryman League Division One North next season, writes Mike Green.

Despite direct appeals to the Football Association by the club and Chatham and Aylesford MP Tracey Crouch – and even a last minute appeal made directly to the AGM by Club Secretary Henry Longhurst on Saturday – the League AGM in Brighton voted to confirm the proposed constitution, sending the Chats back into the Northern section after only one season back in the South!

Upon hearing the AGM’s decision Chats boss Paul Foley told www.chathamtownfc.net: “The confirmation that we will be playing in the Ryman North is neither a surprise nor a problem to us on the football side.

“We met up with the players last week and I said then that, in all probability, we would be in the North as these things are rarely reversed, especially in my experience over the last two months with both VCD and now Chatham Town. Maybe it’s me?!” the boss joked.

He went on: “I made it quite clear when I took the job on that whatever league we were put in our squad would be ready for the challenge of Ryman Division 1 football.

“The club will undoubtedly be disappointed not to have the local derbies, which are an important part of the club’s revenue stream.

“I will let the club comment on that as I am the football manager and whatever league we are put in, provided it has a Ryman in front of it, we are happy and on the football side we will approach the task in the same way.

“If I’m honest, from a purely football manager’s perspective I am happier to be in the North as we have the most recent experience of that league, the pitches, the journeys, the opponents and we have the right squad in place to deal with the challenges in that league.

“The South would have been like last year in so far as we would have to feel our way into the league which would have been an interesting challenge with decent Kent derbies to play in but we would have to have been more conservative with our targets.

“The simple fact is that, as a club, we will have to try and make up that deficit in gate receipts by getting more sponsors etc and we, on the management side, have done this for the last three years at VCD so we will do the same at Chatham Town.

“Both Barry Bell (Goalkeeper coach) and myself have been working on this already and we have some decent people lined up to assist the club’s commercial manager, Karen Judd, who will be pleased and pleasantly surprised with the sums being brought in I’m sure.”

Asked to comment on VCD Athletic’s failed and their failed appeal to the FA and subsequent relegation from the Ryman League to the Kent League, Foley replied: “I am really disappointed that VCD have been ‘relegated’ as we put a heck of a lot of time and effort into getting the club promoted into that league and performing well last season but it has all been for nothing really.

“It may not feel like it now but VCD should all be proud of what was achieved and the title win will stay in the record books for years.

“I had a feeling that the appeal would fall on deaf ears and, as is often the case with these things, it was not a straightforward issue. Again as stated before the proposed relegation had no bearing on my decision to leave, that decision came some time ago and the reasons why will stay between me and the club.

“The club’s treasurer, Chris Dudley must have about 100+ emails on various things over the last three seasons that were a concern for me as a manager so his inbox will be much lighter these days!

“It was the right time for us to move on and the players felt exactly the same way regardless of where I went.

“I have asked most of the squad down to Chatham Town obviously but, as I have explained to the club and to Ricky (Bennett) their new manager, they were not going to stay at VCD anyway.

“I really wish the club well on what may be a transitional period for them but in Ricky they have definitely given it to the right man and with Silky (Andy Silk) helping when he can they’ll get the squad right.

“Ricky is a good friend of mine and he actually gave me my first ‘managerial’ job helping his U15 VCD side while I was still playing for the first team!

“For what it’s worth, Ricky was the person I recommended for the reserve team job a season ago when Steve Webb moved on and when I resigned he was the person that I suggested should take over.”

Foley then focused on the Chats pre season.

He said: ‘We start training on 3rd July where we will see all of the people announced so far, the Chatham lads who we have invited back and some more faces from VCD with Gary Cook, Anthony Hogg, Jason Dolby, Callum O’Shea and Aaron Firth all coming along to sign also.

“Cooky and Hoggy both have four game suspensions to serve for red cards picked up on the final day of the season at Ware but both are experienced players that played 30+ games last season.

“Cooky is a centre half I signed in my first year in charge, has since been an ever-present and he won player of the year when we won the Kent league two seasons ago.

“Ant is well known in Kent having played for Dover, Folkestone, Welling, Dartford and Tonbridge and his experience last year was very important to us in what was our first season where he played in midfield or centre half.

“Firthy is a forward also well known in Kent having played for Herne Bay, Ramsgate and Maidstone and he is someone who is capable of being a match winner. He joined midway through the season, scored some important goals and finished with a very good goals to games ratio with 10 goals from 13 starts. He is mad as a march hare but he can play!

“Callum joined us late in the season from Cray Wanderers having previously been with Charlton as a youth player. He is a bright, lively wide player who has very good technical ability, pace and an eye for goal.

“Dolbs is part of the Dolby footballing dynasty and really impressed when he signed from Ramsgate late in the season, although his appearances were limited through suspension and injury.

“He can play in midfield or in defence and he is a very handy player to have in your side as he is someone with a good all round game and bags of character.

“These five are the final ones to be added to the squad and between now and 21st August we will work out the best group of players, including the lads from Chatham, to start the season with.

“The squad preparations have gone better than expected to be honest as you would expect to lose a few to other clubs as plenty were approached but all of our targets have agreed to come.

“We have eight excellent friendlies lined up to have a real good look at the players and for the Chatham fans to have a good look at the new signings for their club.”

Article courtesy of www.chathamtownfc.net