Kentish Football 
Metcalf proud of Lordswood's training facilities
Thursday 02nd July 2009
KEVIN METCALF says Lordswood will have the best training facilities in the entire Bulmers Cider Kent League from now on, writes Stephen McCartney.The Medway outfit have spent an undisclosed fee on turning two rugby pitches adjacent to the club’s ground at Martyn Grove into floodlit grassed training pitches - and that pleases the Lords’ boss.
“I think Lordswood have realised, although there’s no cash at the club, there now looking to build a successful side,” Metcalf told www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight.
“The committee have been really great, everything Martin (Telford, first team coach) and I have asked for, the committee have come forward with.
“Also, we’ve got the Astroturf facility twice a week, so the training facilities are one of the best in the league and the Ryman League really.”
A six-man coaching team have put players through their paces during the close-season and Metcalf is looking forward to the months ahead.
“It’s been really good,” said the former Tunbridge Wells manager. “The coaching sessions that we put on Saturday mornings, we had an average of 22 or 24 boys there.
“We started pre-season training properly last Saturday and we had 35 players turn out, so I was quite pleased with that.
“I know the majority of the players, because they’ve all come back, I knew they would.”
Metcalf, however, revealed that he has lost one player from last season’s squad, midfielder Barrington Beaney, who is expected to sign for his home-town club Hythe Town.
“We had a long chat,” revealed Metcalf. “Buster lives in Hythe and he knows all their players and I said I don’t want you really to go, but I understand the reasons why.”
Metcalf is expected to unveil new signings within the next couple of weeks.
“I’d rather not say because there’s one or two surprises when it comes out of the bag,” he said.
And Tenterden based manager is confident the club will enjoy a much better season in the months ahead.
“Last season was just a matter of using them to get a bit of Kent League experience and the youngsters are another year older,” he said.
“I think we’ll do well this year because I choose my players very carefully. I want players that play for the shirt, which I’ve commented on before, not the expenses. That’s very important to me.
“I think the Kent League is anyone’s League this year. We will improve, Sporting Bengal (who lost all 32 league games last season) would have improved.
Lordswood are a handful of clubs that do not pay their players expenses.
And Metcalf is looking forward to welcoming newly-formed club Fisher to his club.
“All my family live around the old Fisher ground in Bermondsey, so Fisher is one of the non-league clubs I used to follow,” he said.
And he insists more people should watch his side in action this season.
“There’s been a lot of work done pre-season on the pitch,” he said. “Martin and myself, we like to get the ball down and play, not the hump it and pump it football.”
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Kent League, Kevin Brown says he is reporting back to pre-season training with his home-town club Tunbridge Wells.
“I am going down pre-season training, at the ripe old age of 34,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
“I am back from working out in Switzerland, so I’m going to give a comeback a go.”
Meanwhile, manager Martin Larkin is looking forward to the club’s FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round showdown against local rivals Sevenoaks Town.
The Culverden Stadium clash on 15th August is expected to attract a big crowd.
“The Sevenoaks draw presents a great local derby for an FA Cup game, so hopefully we can get a big crowd down for the match,” he told www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk.
“We have a good record against them from recent meetings, but that will mean little in an one-off cup game, so we will need to be fully prepared and organised.
“A trip to (Ryman League Division One South side) Dulwich Hamlet is certainly an attractive prize.”
Meanwhile, Beckenham Town's recently appointed chairman Chris McCarthy is satisfied with the club’s draw in the FA Vase.
Jason Huntley’s side will welcome Sussex County League Division Two side Wealden to Eden Park Avenue in the First Qualifying Round of the competition, following the club’s five-year ban from all FA competitions.
The winners of that tie will have a home tie against Combined Counties League side Banstead Athletic.
“Happy to be drawn at home, happy with our opponents but just happy to be back,” Mr McCarthy told www.beckenhamtownfc.co.uk.
Beckenham Town have not played a home tie in the FA Vase since September 2001, when they lost 3-0 to Wokingham Town.
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd