I don't feel pressure at football, says Fisher boss Billy Walton

FISHER manager Billy Walton says it’s vitally important for his side to bounce back from their miserable start to the new season on Saturday.


The Fish have suffered back-to-back defeats during the opening week to slump to the foot of the Southern Counties East Football League table at this early stage.

They went down to a 3-0 defeat away to Tunbridge Wells last Saturday, but put in a woeful performance at home to Holmesdale two days later, going down to a sorry 4-1 defeat in front of a crowd of 117.

Walton, 51, has threatened to quit and become a supporter of his beloved club if anyone feels they can do a better job with a zero budget.

Walton insists he wants a positive reaction when Derek Hares’ brings his Deal Town side to Champion Hill on Saturday in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

“I know what to expect from Deal, we’ve played them enough times so I know how Deal are going to play,” said Walton.

“We just have to come back. It’s early in the season, we’re not going to lose nothing. We could lose the FA Cup game but we’re not going to lose the league.

“I think we can get a result against Deal. It is a massive game for both clubs. We’ve got the advantage of being at home.

“Hopefully the supporters that were here on Monday night will come back and support us, but we have to get things right on the pitch for them to come back.”

Deal Town arrive in Dulwich on the back of a 3-2 home win over Beckenham Town on the opening day of the new season, before losing 2-0 to Canterbury City at Winch’s Field last night.

Walton wants his beleaguered side to learn from their mistakes that they made against an impressive Holmesdale side.

“I think we’ve learnt a lot on Monday, just learning of Holmesdale,” said Walton.

“The lads’ have taken it on board when I’ve said to them.  The way Holmesdale passed and kept the ball, rotated their midfield and their movement up front we can learn from that.

“I’m not ashamed to say I won’t stop learning. I don’t see why the players – I’m 51 so I won’t stop learning. I learn every match. It’s as if the players can take it on board or where I can learn and put it across properly.”

Walton insists his side must bounce back against Deal Town on Saturday because the £1,500 in prize money from The Football Association for the winner of the tie will keep the club ticking over.

“I think the chairman’s promised us three quid out of that so we can buy a pint between us all,” smiled Walton.

“The money is vital for all us clubs down here.  It just helps out everywhere, from physio to the ground, everything, it’s massive for us.”

When asked if the prize money adds pressure on the task of winning, Walton replied: “Listen, I’ve always said you’re doing something you love, the players’ are doing something that you enjoy, why is there pressure?

“I think you’ve got pressure when someone you know is seriously ill or people are starving out there, that’s pressure or you’ve got no work and you can’t pay your mortgage is pressure.

“Playing football or managing is not pressure. I don’t feel pressure at football.”

Visit Fisher’s website: www.fisherfc.co.uk

Fisher  v  Deal Town
The FA Cup with Budweiser Extra Preliminary Round
Saturday 17^th August 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Champion Hill Stadium, Dog Kennel Hill, Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London SE22 8BD