KENT LEAGUE CUP FINAL: Winning would be the icing on the cake, says Jones

Friday 30th April 2010

SEVENOAKS TOWN boss Simon Jones and his squad gathered at Bromley on Thursday night for their final training session before the Kent League Cup Final at Folkestone on Monday.

It will be the club's 45th game of a chaotic season - caused by the bad weather and mass postponements, meaning this was their first full workout since Christmas.

“It's been a season that has been beyond all our expectations,” Jones told www.sevenoakstownfc.org.

“It came to such a crazy end, playing 25/30 per cent of our games in the last month, so it's nice to get over all that chaos, and put the thing to bed and move on"

Jones added: "We will enjoy Monday, it's going to be a great day out. I told the players before the game at Hythe that we don't go anywhere not to be professional and competitive.

"Irrespective of the result that is what we will be, so nobody should expect us to turn up and just think we are having a day out, and there for the ride.

"We are going to give it our best shot, be ultra-competitive, battle for every ball, work our socks off and see what lady luck or fate has in store for us at the end of it.

"If we do that nobody knows what we can achieve, and that has probably been the headline of our season."

He added: " Apart from the year Sevenoaks won the County League, this season has been pretty special, and we have put a marker down in the club's history. This group of players deserve all the plaudits that come their way.

"The icing on the cake will be a very good day on Monday."

Chairman Tony Smart admitting he cannot ask for anything more after the club's best ever season since being promoted to the Kent League.

Now and he and wife Sue are looking forward as much as anybody seeing the club walk out against Herne Bay at Cheriton Road on Bank Holiday Monday.

Mr Smart told www.sevenoakstownfc.org: “ I know we are underdogs, but we have beaten them once already this season, and can do it again.

"Having got us to the final, Simon (Jones) is going there to win and having finished sixth in the league as well, nobody can ask more than out of the season."

He added: "What has been really nice is seeing us compete so well as a club, and playing good football."

It's only two years since the club appointed Jones as first team manager following a spell in charge of the reserves when Bobby Pittaway and Derek Moore were at the club.

The chairman added: "We finished bottom the year they left, and when Simon took over I told him he would have time to improve things, and the club have certainly done a lot better than we thought since then.

"I don't interfere and leave everything on the playing side to him, and he has done a good job."

His and Sue's involvement started with watching sons Paul and Darren both play for the club.

Tony admits he never dreamed he would become chairman, but he did after a spell as vice chairman.

"I began by sponsoring one of the kits, and gradually became more and more involved. I thought it I would do it for a year, stayed on for another, and am still there.

" It's very time consuming, more so for Sue than me, because she spends probably two days a week on club business as treasurer and fixtures secretary."

Sue added: "Being in the final is very important, and a very prestigious day for the club. We are absolutely thrilled to be there."

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game

Article courtesy of www.sevenoakstownfc.org

Sevenoaks Town v Herne Bay

Bulmers Cider Kent League Cup Final

Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5JU