Kentish Football 
It's been a great year, says Faversham Town manager Justin Luchford
Wednesday 22nd December 2010
FAVERSHAM TOWN manager Justin Luchford says he is celebrating the progress made by the club during the year 2010, writes Stephen McCartney.
The Lilywhites clinched the Kent League and Kent League Cup double last season and go into the Christmas programme sitting proudly in ninth place in the Ryman League Division One South table with 27 points from 19 games - only five points adrift of the play-off’s.
But Luchford told www.kentishfootball.co.uk :“I’m not even talking about the play-off’s, to be honest with you!”
“At the beginning of the season that was not our goal, our goal was to hit 50 points and that’s the target. As soon as we hit that then we can talk about other things.
“It’s nice that people are asking the question (about play-off’s), but I think you can see in that league earlier in the season we went seven games without winning a game and now we’ve gone eight without losing a game. That league is absolutely crazy! You can be in the bottom three for three or four weeks and put a run of two or three wins together and all off a sudden someone’s asking you about play-off’s!
“But it’s a crazy league but it makes it a great league because what it means. You can lose a couple of games knowing if you win a couple you will be ok!”
Luchford revealed his players are keeping themselves in tip-top shape during The Big Freeze ahead of their two games over the festive period.
“We’re ok! We’re lucky that a few of the players live fairly close to each other and have access to go to the gym so I’ve got no real concerns about training and things,” he said.
“We’re in again tomorrow night as the training pitch is ok to train on so we’ll give them another good session tomorrow and we’ll be ready for Monday.”
Faversham travel to Bourne Park to lock horns with Sittingbourne and Luchford rubbished claims made by rival manager Gary Abbott yesterday.
Luchford said: “Interesting enough, I see reading on your website actually that we’ve got bags of money and we try to nick everyone’s players, which he’s (Abbott) trying to stoke the fire I think.
“What we try and do is bring in the right players to make our squad better. Perhaps if I had loads of money I’ll be sitting here with seventeen or eighteen players but realistically I’ve got a squad of 13-14 players, very much like Sittingbourne.”
Luchford added: “We do things the right way at the club. Matt Bourne decided to leave Sittingbourne because he wanted to go to a bigger club with more potential. We’re not in the same league as Sittingbourne yet but we’ll go there as underdogs on Monday, but unlike their manager we’re not going to blow our trumpet.
“We’re very much looking forward to the game on Monday.”
Managerless Whitstable Town then arrive at Salters Lane on Monday 3 January 2011 (3pm).
“I’m delighted where we are going into Christmas,” said Luchford. “We’re sitting in a nice position and whatever happens in the next two weeks going into the New Year we should be sitting in the top ten so I can’t complain about that.
“The last time we played Whitstable we were fortunate to win the game 1-0 with a penalty. I think in the Kent derbies they are tight affords as a lot of the players all know each other.
“One’s against a team that’s obviously expecting to be in the play-off’s, according to their manager. I just hope he’s there at the end of the season and he’s not applied for another job!”
Luchford added: “We’ll take the two games in our stride. Whitstable will be no easier than Sittingbourne as they’re two very tough games and Whitstable are fighting for their lives. Manager or no manager, none of their players will want to be sitting in the bottom three in April. They will want to turn us over.”
The Faversham manager reflected on his squad’s achievements during the current calendar year.
“It’s been a great 2010 for the club on and off the pitch,” said Luchford. “We really shouldn’t not celebrate what we’ve done in 2010 - it’s been a great year.
“The lads I’ve got at the club have been fantastic in the Ryman League, especially the squad players that haven’t necessarily played every game.
“The likes of Dave Bathgate, who I must point out a special mention. He hasn’t played that many games from a starting position, he’s done a lot from the bench, but he’s attitude and the way he’s applied himself is outstanding and that’s part of the reason the squad has been doing so well so full credit to the players going into 2011.”
Visit Faversham Town’s website: www.favershamtownfc.co.uk
Sittingbourne v Faversham Town
Ryman League Division One South
Bank Holiday Monday 27 December 2010
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Bourne Park, Central Park Stadium, Eurolink, Church Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3SB
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd