Luchford seeks improvement ahead of Whitethawk opener

Sunday 01st August 2010

FAVERSHAM TOWN boss Justin Luchford has paid tribute to the hardworking club officials that have helped taken the club from football oblivion to the Ryman League, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Lilywhites welcome Npower League Two neighbours Gillingham to Salters Lane on Tuesday night as they prepare for their inaugural Ryman League Division One South campaign, after clinching the Kent League and Kent Senior Trophy double last season.

It has just been seven years since hard-working supporters of the club battled against the odds to transform Salters Lane from a vandalised football ground into one smart and welcoming football ground that will be welcoming the likes of Chatham Town, Dulwich Hamlet and Sittingbourne in Ryman League Division One South this season.

Luchford, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, is looking forward to leading the club into their new adventure.

He said: “It’s everyone! My job is obviously to do the football team but you look around here today and it’s a fantastic ground, a fantastic set-up and it’s down to the people behind the scenes.

“I’ve got a great management team and I can’t speak highly enough of my players from last year, but we can’t rest on our laurels.

“That’s done now. We won the (Kent) League, it’s brilliant, everyone’s happy, but if we lose to Whitehawk 4-0 in the first game of the season it doesn’t matter how many league’s you’ve won does it because you’ll be back in the Kent League the following year if you don’t get yourselves sorted.

“We need to concentrate. We’ve had the fun, the parties, we’ve enjoyed ourselves and we’ll get down to business.”

The visit of Andy Hessenthaler’s Gillingham on Tuesday night is expected to attract a crowd of at least 1,000 to Salters Lane.

“I am going to give Hessie a ring, I think, and just find out what he is bringing down,” said Luchford.

“It’s a great test for us, it doesn’t matter what they’re bringing down, they could bring their under 18s down. It’s still going to be a good test and these are pro’s at the end of the day, they’re getting paid every single day that they play.

“I’m not expecting too much, all I’m expecting is improvement. We’ve still three weeks away (from our opening game) so we’ve still got time but I want to see the character that these boys showed (against Herne Bay).”

After the visit of the Gills, Faversham lock horns with Maidstone United (Salters Lane, 7 August) and Thamesmead Town (Bayliss Avenue, 14 August), and Luchford wants everything to be perfect for their opening day trip to Brighton based Whitehawk on 21 August.

When asked what he is looking for, Luchford replied, “Improving in every game. That’s got to be the key, improve in every single game, get something right every single game. If we get something right every game, even if we get something wrong, if we put that right the next game then we’re improving and we’re getting it right and we’ll be right come 21 August.”

Visit Faversham Town’s website: www.favershamtownfc.co.uk

Faversham Town v Gillingham

Pre-Season Friendly

Tuesday 3 August 2010

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND