I want nasty players to make Ramsgate a fortress again, says Ward

Thursday 27th May 2010

RAMSGATE boss Jim Ward has told his current crop of players to show their mean streak and turn Southwood Stadium into a fortress again next season, writes Stephen McCartney.

Ward, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight, spoke about the new faces that will be at the Ryman League Division One South club next season.

“Everybody from last year has signed,” the Scottish born manager confirmed. “We’ve got a lad from Watford called Aaron Beech, a centre half or a holding midfielder, who was at Margate last year. We’ve signed him, he’s played for Watford a couple of times.

“I’ve got Will Graham injured, so I’m looking to just strengthen that department.

“We’ve signed a goalkeeper who has just been raised by Gillingham, Conor Quinn.

“I’ve been after for a little while, a boy called Sam Frost, a winger, a young lad, a local lad from Aylesham. I’ve heard about him a few times and we’ve signed him.

“Who else have we signed? That’s about it and we’ve hung on to everyone else.

“I’m after one more forward. I’m speaking to Stuart Vahid, from Whitstable. I’ve invited Stuart to come back again and I find out about that at the weekend.”

Ward, who has previously stated that he will quit the club if he doesn’t guide the Rams into next season’s play-off’s, added: “We feel we’ve progressed by a year. We were so young last year and hopefully these lads will go forward now.

“None of them have signed contracts. We haven’t gone down that road this year.”

Ward admitted he feels proud that two players that he snapped up playing Sunday morning football have gone on to show their true potential.

Lee Minshull has this week quit Tonbridge Angels to sign a two-year professional contract with Blue Square Premier giants AFC Wimbledon and Andy Hessenthaler could be on the verge of returning to Dover Athletic to bring central defender Ollie Schulz to Gillingham.

“It’s very encouraging for me now when I hear players that I’ve let go in the last couple of years have moved on to bigger and better things,” said Ward.

“Lee Minshull, who we pulled out of Sunday morning football and now he’s playing for AFC Wimbledon, and there’s talk about Ollie Schulz, again who we pulled out of Sunday morning football, he’s talking about going to Gillingham, now that’s the rumour.

“So it’s a feather in Ramsgate’s cap like. There’s loads of players around the county that I’m sure if we could have afforded to hang on to them all Ramsgate would probably be in the Conference now.”

Ward, however, ruled out re-signing central defender Nick Davis, who is contemplating either to remain at Tonbridge Angels or move away from Longmead Stadium.

Davis signed for Tommy Warrilow’s side last summer, but because of a long-term ankle tendon injury, his appearances for the Angels last season were very limited indeed.

Ward said: “I couldn’t afford any of these players. I’m just going with what I’ve got. I spoke to Nick, he asked me for advice. My advice was to stay at Tonbridge and get a good pre-season under his belt. That’s what my advice was but that’s his call (whether to stay at Tonbridge or leave).”

When asked what the central defender said, Ward replied, “You better ask Nick that!”

But he added: “He’s another one of my ex-players that have done very well for himself.”

The likes of Minshull, Schulz and Davis were part of the formidable Ramsgate side of 2007-08 when Ward guided the club to fifth-place in the Ryman Premier League, where they lost away to Staines Town on a very wet night in the semi-finals of the play-off’s.

“This crop of players have got the opportunity to be the next group of lads to come through,” Ward said of his summer signings.

“They’ve got to be a lot meaner, a bit nastier. Ramsgate have got to get back to where nobody likes us.

“People have to say they don’t like going to Southwood. That’s what I want. I want, I need, what I call players who want to bang their fists on the ground when they let a goal in. I’ve got a few of them at the club who are desperate not to let goals in and not to get beaten.

“The mentality has come through to my players and although the average age is just 21 - taking Warren Schulz and Ben Laslett out of my squad - the average age would be 21 and Ben’s only 27.

“The times are good. The times are very exciting again at Ramsgate. Everyone’s looking forward to next year.”

The club have also confirmed previously that Ollie Gray, Joe Taylor and Luke Wheatley have also signed.

Visit Ramsgate’s website: www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk