I want to give our youth players an opportunity of impressing first team coaches, says Andy Weeks

The man in charge of managing Thamesmead Town’s newly-formed under 21 Ryman Youth League side says youngsters at the club will get a chance in Keith McMahon’s first team squad if they are good enough.



Andy Weeks, 44, has been appointed as the club’s new under 21 manager and the Bayliss Avenue outfit will line up against their counterparts at Burgess Hill Town, Crawley Down Gatwick, Hastings United, Leatherhead, Maidstone United, Margate, Ramsgate, Three Bridges and Whitstable Town in the South Division.

Weeks was coaching the youngsters at Dartford between 2006-2010 where he won the Kent County Youth Cup and were runners-up in the Kent Youth League on goal difference in season 2008-09.

Weeks then joined Corinthian to run the under 16 side in 2009-10, but had to wait a year for further honours, winning the Kent Youth League title as their under 18s, before they clinched the Ryman Youth League title at under 18 level in season 2011-12, without losing a league game in the club’s inaugural season and losing at Southend United in the FA Youth Cup First Round.

Reflecting on his three-year spell at Corinthian, Weeks said he was pleased with his progress made alongside his assistant Steve Sweetman, who will join him at Bayliss Avenue.

“It’s something Steve and I are both very proud off,” he said.

“We created a great squad and thoroughly enjoyed our time there.  We made some great friends and contacts along the way.

“We left Corinthian for a year out. I felt I needed to move on to progress in senior football.”

That chance has arrived at Thamesmead Town. A club that’s been galvanised after McMahon’s first team squad produced promotion in to the Ryman Premier League against all the odds last season with the club’s lengthy much-publicised off-the-field troubles going on in the background.

The club’s excellent 4G training pitch will be used by two Haart of Kent County League sides next season, in the shape of Bexley Borough and Seven Acre & Sidcup’s reserves.

When asked why he’s teamed up to join Thamesmead Town, Weeks said: “I think that mine and Steve’s footballing philosophy is similar to the way things are done at Thamesmead Town and we seem a great fit.

“When I spoke to Keith, we seem to have the same approach to football and I think that’s vital to easing players from youth and reserve football in to senior football.”

Weeks has invited teenagers for trials next week and is in the process of looking for friendly matches as the Ryman Premier League club prepare for an exciting new dawn both on and off the pitch.

“It’s all about getting the players to buy in to your methods and how you do things,” he said.

“Pre-season sets the tone for the season but the players have to appreciate that it’s up to them just how much they get out of it.”

When asked how many Corinthian players will join him at Thamesmead Town, Weeks replied, “The squad is far from finalised yet but unfortunately only a couple of players stayed at Corinthian so any players leaving there certainly shouldn’t unsettle their plans.

“There will be lots of familiar faces but again, any one coming over will be doing so on merit alone.

“We built a great squad of players and I would be crazy to disregard those players that I feel are capable of competing in the senior set-up at the club.”

When asked how his team will link up with the Academy presently at Thamesmead Town, Weeks replied, “It’s early days yet and nothing has been ruled in or ruled out with regards to players.  I should be able to give a better response in two to three weeks.”

But Thamesmead Town are a club that blood in young players in to their first team squad, especially if they buy into the togetherness within the Mead gang.

“One of the positives regarding the club and Keith is that he has a clutch of young players at first tam level already, so if players are good enough they are certainly old enough,” said Weeks.

“I want to put together a strong enough squad that they can help each other fulfil their potential and to give them the opportunity of impressing Keith and the first team coaches.”

Weeks, whose wife Clare is the receptionist at Dartford Football Club, added: “Having a year out I am itching to get going!  I am taking one step at a time and focused on this season and testing myself in the new league.

“Steve and I are both looking forward to the season.  The Ryman League have created a set-up that is long overdue and I applaud them for that.

“The Ryman Youth League has been a great success and now the players have somewhere to go after under 18s.  The over age rule (where you can play three overage players) is ideal for getting players minutes when returning from injury or needing match time and this can only benefit the younger players.”

The trials are by invitation only and players should contact andy.weeks@icloud.com  to register their interest.

Visit Thamesmead Town’s websites: www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk  and www.pitchero.com/clubs/thamesmeadtown