I'm talking to players to strengthen my squad for next season, says Otford United boss Jim Gillan

OTFORD UNITED manager Jim Gillan says he must strengthen his squad for next season.


The club, who play at Otford Recreation Ground on the High Street and have floodlight facilities at their picturesque ground, completed their 28-match campaign with a 2-0 home defeat to near neighbours Hildenborough last Wednesday.

They have played four midweek home games under the floodlights this season and they have lost them all.

The O’s remain fifth-from-bottom in the Haart of Kent County League Division One table and have to rely on results elsewhere to retain their status in that division.

Basement side New Romney and AFC Sevenoaks have already been relegated, but Milton & Fulston United must win all three of their remaining games to ensure Otford slide down the trap door.

Milton & Fulston United, who will take over from Maidstone United at Sittingbourne’s tenants at Bourne Park next season, play three away games in a five day period next month, facing New Romney (1 May), Chipstead (3 May) and Kennington, who are one place below Otford, on 5 May.

Gillan hopes Kennington claim a point against Milton & Fulston and that the side with the most games in hand slip up so he can start re-building for next season.

“I don’t really know what the problem is, because we’ve got the facilities, great floodlights but for some reason we’re sort of looked at maybe a village side,” admitted Gillan.

Gillan is scratching his head as to how top-of-the-table side Hildenborough Athletic, who play in Tonbridge, can attract better players than he can.

Hildenborough leapfrogged over Metrogas with a 1-0 away win yesterday, to move one point clear at the top of the table with only one game left to play.

Mike Cramp’s side will clinch the title with an away win at Fleetdown United on 5 May, while Metrogas travel to University of Kent hoping their rivals’ slip up.

Gillan said: “I’ve watched Hildenborugh play Saga Sports & Social last weekend and their facilities are shocking compared to ours and I can’t understand how they can attract the type of footballers they attract.  We don’t seem to get them.  I’m a different character to the previous manager.

“I’ve got some players in mind who I’m going to talk to, to see if they’ll come and play for us next season just to strengthen the squad a little bit.

“I’m pleased with the lads’ I’ve got.  We’re not a bad side. We don’t seem to be getting the results but we should with the facilities that we’ve got here.

“Most people in Kent would want to play here so that’s in our advantage.  The disadvantage is sometimes we have trips down to New Romney and places like that but not next year – if we can stay up!

“It’s baffling me.  I’ve been in this club now for two and a half years.  We always advertise for players – we’ve got three sides – so we’re definitely looking for players so I shall write to the paper and put an advert in for players’.

“I think we’re three or four players’ short of a nucleus of a side who can contend with anyone.”

Cramp, meanwhile, is expecting a battle against eighth-placed Fleetdown as his Hildenborough  side bid to clinch the title in their first season in the division.

The 24-year-old is looking forward to the trip to the Dartford-based club.

He said: “We’ve had very difficult games with them over the last two seasons. They’ve always been very tight. They’re a very big, strong physical side.

“My players will be happy to dig in deep and I’m pretty confident the boys will give all they can to get a result.”