Kentish Football 
I don't want another season like this one, says Lewisham Borough chairman Ray Simpson
The Ladywell Arena outfit finished at the bottom of the league after winning five of their 30 league games as former Charlton Athletic player Willie O’Sullivan struggled in difficult circumstances.
The club have made significant improvements to Ladywell Arena during the past year and Mr Simpson revealed that he is planning to install covered seating accommodation at their ground within the next 12 months.
Mr Simpson said it’s not a total surprise that the club have begun searching for new managers, whose remit is to work within the community on behalf of the club.
He said: “Well, Willie hasn’t been sacked or anything like that. I made him aware during the course of the season that it was something I was expected to do irrespective of how the season went.
“Given that we are a community club, we have certain expectations and we have to be seen to be giving the widest possible opportunity to everybody, hence the advert.
“He accepted that. He’s going to re-apply as well. I know that seems a little bit strange, but it’s a case of testing the market and seeing what’s out there.
“The Reserve Team manager position is quite a new one for us as well and this will combine the ethos of the under 18's and include slightly older players with the intention of playing in the Kent County League.
Mr Simpson, who was one of the founder members of the club ten years’ ago, reflected on the season just finished.
“Very disappointing but not totally surprising,” came his reply.
“I think myself and the other committee members expected to not have our best season given some of the problems we had with management during pre-season, but we have to take the positives out of the season.
“On the pitch, yes, it was a poor season and I think it was almost a blessing in disguise that there is no relegation as of yet in the Invicta League, but the positives were our facilities have developed quite a bit. There’s a bit more work to be done but we are almost there in terms of achieving Kent Premier League standard.
“Really the final piece of the jigsaw is about getting covered seating in and we’re also trying to get some covered standing accommodation and work is ongoing behind the scenes.
“Obviously it’s a case of liaising with the Football Foundation for funding and liaising with the other community groups at Ladywell Arena and trying to identify the most suitable and appropriate place to put seating but I wouldn’t expect that to happen for at least another year.
“My aim is to get it in by the end of the coming season 2013/14.”
Mr Simpson added: “Other positives were the introduction of a number of this year’s under 18 players, seven of which featured in the senior side.
“We are looking to the future and trying to restructure and rebuild and making sure we have a better season on the pitch this coming season.”
Mr Simpson spoke about the kind of people that he is looking for going into the new season.
He said: “Well, I think the kind of managers we are looking for are those who understand that we are a community club and realise and accept that we are expected to do a lot of work within the community, i.e. putting on free coaching sessions and attending community events.
“Also people who want to develop players and bring through younger players but who can also attract decent players at that level especially in the Borough.
“I suppose ultimately as well being Chairman you ultimately want someone you can work with on a regular basis and who you can get on well together in terms of communication. It’s not a case of me telling them what to do and them doing it, it’s a case of us being able to communicate effectively and I think that hasn’t always been the case in the past.
“A lot of managers tend to go in their own little zone and want to do their own little thing. For me that doesn’t work. If we can keep the communication going and work together and get on well that has to be the way forward.”
Lewisham Borough do not run with a playing budget and Mr Simpson revealed that it costs the club around £20,000 a season to run their two teams.
“It’s very, very difficult, I won’t lie to you,” said Mr Simpson.
“This season one of the problems we had was losing a lot of our better players to teams that do have a budget.
“As I’ve said before the intention is to certainly do more work in terms of scouting right across a number of leagues, Sunday football included, but I think also as I said the way forward is developing a lot of younger players. We’ve had an excellent under 18 team going for some time now and for that for me that’s the future and the basis, considering we hold on to them of course!”
Mr Simpson added: “I think with the clubhouse that will hopefully help generate some more funds and hopefully attract some more players and maybe at some point maybe we will be able to do a bit more.
“Given where we are playing and the competitions and the level we’re playing at we’re hoping that will be enough to attract players.
“I have applied for The FA Vase this year to try and increase the profile and hopefully this will help keep players in the borough.
Mr Simpson reflects on the club’s progress since 2003 when Moonshot, Ten Em Bee and Elms joined forces to become Lewisham Borough (Community) FC.
Former England striker Ian Wright’s first club was Ten Em Bee, before he moved on to play for Greenwich Borough, Crystal Palace, Arsenal and West Ham among others.
He said: “We actually celebrate our 10th anniversary this year. I think given that we took three amateur clubs within the borough, I am very proud of the fact that I’m one of the original founder members.
“In that ten-year period we’ve won Division One Kent County West and the Premier Division of the Kent County and unfortunately because of facilities we were unable to push on and go up from there.
“We’ve established ourselves within the Kent County Premier Division. This is the first season where we’ve had such a poor season on the pitch. We’ve either won Division titles or finished in a respectable mid-table position.
“I don’t want to have another season like this on the pitch where we’ve been poor but I’m really proud of the fact that we’ve brought a level of really good football to the borough of Lewisham.
“I think we’ve achieved significantly great things. Even the fight that we had to get into the Kent Invicta League we managed to get a level of success there.
“I’m proud of our achievements but we want to push on a step further, many steps further if possible, but that will take time, finance and the commitment of a great team of volunteers that we currently have and we are still looking to increase.
“We get incredible assistance from the local authority. The Mayor is the Patron of the Club.
“We have secured some other forms of sponsorship as well. The small amounts that we generate from gate receipts and programme sales and clubhouse revenue as well has helped keep us going but we need more help.
“I am working behind the scenes on trying to get more investment as well and I’m speaking to various companies and businesses, especially in the Lewisham area to try and get them on board. I’m getting some help and assistance from the local community in trying to do that as well.”
Mr Simpson hopes the club’s new managers will lead the club further up their respective tables next season.
He said: “Well just to say I don’t think we’ll have a poor season on the pitch again as what we did last season.
“We are aware that there’s a few things which have to change and a lot more hard work that has to be done.
“The confidence is high amongst the players, a number of players have indicated they want to stay with the club, which is great.
“All of us really are looking forward to having a much better season next year so I know on the face of it, it may appear we’re a club in turmoil but I don’t think we are.
“It’s hard, hard work as it is for a lot of clubs but we’re patient and we’re prepared to do the hard work and I think it’s a case of really watching
this space .”Applications are invited by CV with covering letter from suitable candidates by Friday 7 June 2013 for interviews week commencing 10 June 2013. Successful candidates will be expected to start from week commencing 17 June 2013.
Contact Ray Simpson Chairman/Secretary - telephone 07958 946 236 or email grancan_jamaica@yahoo.co.uk or info@lewishamborough.com for person specification and job description.
Visit Lewisham Borough Community’s website: www.lewishamboroughfc.com
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd