It's getting harder to survive in the Kent League, says Greenwich Borough boss Steve Firkins

GREENWICH BOROUGH boss Steve Firkins says he will stay on as the club’s manager next season – and that the club will remain in the Kent League despite its precarious financial position, writes Stephen McCartney.
Bermondsey based Firkins has worked miracles to keep the club afloat and produce an attractive brand of football, but the homeless club have struggled to attract gates at Holmesdale’s Oakley Road ground in Bromley, with average gates of just 31.

But on the pitch the team has excelled and they go into their last game of the season – away to Corinthian on Saturday – sitting in fourth place in the Kent League table, five points adrift of VCD Athletic.

Despite thinking about his future at the club, Firkins, who is also the club’s secretary and regularly puts his hands in his pockets to keep the club afloat, has confirmed he is staying.

”I’ve convinced my wife to have at least another season,” said Firkins.

”We are trying very hard to raise some money.  My chairman Devon Hanson has had a meeting with Mark Harris, the Holmesdale chairman, and they’ve come to a payment agreement so I understand, which will help us out quite a lot.

”I can’t divulge too much but Instead of having a lump sump it’s (the rent to play at the ground) is paid over a certain amount of time, which will give us a little bit of lee-way to raise some funds and get some sponsorship.”

Firkins added, “Myself and Billy (Walton, my assistant manager) were bugging the life out of people who we work with for sponsorships.  We can only try and do what we can.”

But the club have sent out an urgent appeal, not only for sponsorship, but for volunteers to help run the club on a match-day.

”We still want people to help,” explained Firkins. “We’ve lost John Jackson, who helps on the gate for us.  He had to pack in due to family commitments and work commitments but our little committee of five has now dwindled down to four so we are trying to entice people – but it’s very hard.

”There’s a couple of (players’) dads that have helped us out a couple of times, which we are grateful for, but we’re still striving and working hard to build up as a committee.”

Firkins confirmed that the club will retain its Kent League status for next season.

”We’re sort of 95% certain, there’s always a little bit about us that could go wry or somebody might back out or whatever but me and Bill are pretty well committed to it,” he said.

”We’re looking to put a little bit of money in to help out but it’s getting harder.  It’s not getting easier.  It’s just trying to entice them coming to watch us.

”You’ve seen us a couple of times, I don’t think we get any boring games really.  It’s a bit of excitement there.  There’s always plenty of goals about. It’s a shame we can’t bring a few groundhoppers, hopefully the word will spread.”

Reflecting on his side’s league position, Firkins added, “This is our third season.  Last year was a bit disappointing.  We finished sixth and nowhere near the leaders.  We’re looking, at the moment, that we’ve secured fourth place.  It’s about improvement and we’ve established ourselves over the last three years as a deservedly top five or six team.”

If you can offer assistance to Greenwich Borough, either in person or financial, please call Steve Firkins on 07711 303 936.

Visit Greenwich Borough’s website:  www.greenwichboroughfc.com

Corinthian  v  Greenwich Borough
Safety Net Associates Kent League
Saturday 30^th April 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Gay Dawn Farm, Valley Road, Longfield, Kent DA3 8LY