My ambition is to be the first manager to win at the old Wembley and the new one, vows Tommy Sampson

TOMMY SAMPSON says he wants to return to football management and guide a team to another Wembley Stadium final – after winning the FA Vase Final for Deal Town in May 2000.



Sampson, 57, who lives in Maidstone, is now an advisor to the committee and management team at Ryman League Division One South side Faversham Town, and accepted an offer from manager Ray Turner to take his place on the dug-out for last Saturday’s 4-1 defeat to Blue Square Bet South side Welling United.

Sampson, who suffered a stroke during the time when he was the manager of Sussex County League side Redhill, said: “Well, as you know I’m loosely involved with Faversham and we had a friendly with Welling and Ray Turner asked me whether I’d like to sit on the bench and come into the dressing room, which is what I did.

“It was great! I spent twenty minutes in the dressing room before the game and on the bench.

“It was just nice to see a game from that level again. It’s the first time I’ve sat on the bench for five years’.

“It was a great experience.  It’s like my spiritual home, the bench, and whilst I can’t jump up and down anymore, it’s nice to see a game from the coaches’ point of view.

“Ray’s a very bright man and he’s going to do ever so well and it was great from him to ask me to come in.  We get on ever so well.

“I’ve got lots of experience and I passed little bits on and it’s great to talk to players’ as well. Most of the players’ in the changing room don’t really know me, but they’ve heard of me.

“I obviously know the ex-Herne Bay boys quite well and there’s other people I’m getting to know, but the banter was terrific – it took me back a long time.

“It’s not something I intend to do on a regular basis but every once in a while it would be nice to do it, to sit and chat to the manager and the other subs and the other people involved like the physios.

“It’s absolutely a fantastic experience, especially after having so long being out. It’s a great boost for my health as well.  It’s great to be back in the dug-out.”

Sampson has taken small steps towards Saturday’s emotional return to the dug-out.

He said: “I’m getting stronger all the time. I followed Herne Bay all around England (in their FA Vase run) last year and to sit in the dug-out and have a small impact is fantastic.

“My whole target is to get well enough to manage a non-league side and I still want to take a side back to Wembley. My ambition is to be the first manager to win at the old Wembley and the new one. I know those targets are very like astronomical, almost.

“My health is as good now as it’s been for two or three years. I’m hoping this season is the season to break through.

“I’m still involved with non-league football through the managers at various clubs. I speak to everybody. 

“I’ve told my manager if I’m busy to tell me to go away!  I was always very busy.

“I’ve got a real loyalty towards Faversham now and they’re my club.  I know I’ve been involved with other clubs around the Kent coast.  Faversham is what I’m going to throw my lot into now and I think we’re going to have a good season. 

“The Ryman League Division One South is a very sensible standard of football and I think we’ve got a decent side.

“I’m hoping for Ray’s sake we do well as he’s a bright manager. We’ve got Clive Walker who is one of the nicest guys in the game and best coaches. 

“It’s just a great Saturday afternoon. Three o’clock on the bench. Here’s too many more somewhere.”

“My wife Sandie came along to the bench and made sure I had a cup of tea and looked after me, which was good.”

Reflecting on the game, a 4-1 win for Jamie Day’s Welling United, Sampson added: “It was good to bump into old friends competitively.  I don’t know Jamie Day very well, but we had a chat about the past and he’s done well at Welling.

“Dean Frost was going back to his old VCD days with various people.  It was fantastic.

“Welling were a good side and they beat us 4-1.  They were fitter and a touch sharper. It was a good pre-season friendly to have. It tested the boys’ physically, which is what it’s all about. It’s not about results.”

Faversham Town continue their pre-season campaign with a home game against last season’s Kent League runners-up, Erith & Belvedere, who are managed by Micky Collins.

Sampson said: “We play Erith & Belvedere on Thursday at home. I’m hoping to be in and around the dressing room and who knows I may sneak onto the bench.  That will frighten Micky Collins!

“I’m grateful to be alive and back involved in football in a loose term.  It was very cruel to me. It cut me down and took me away from football in the space of three seconds and five years’ later I’m having some influence somewhere.

“I’m so proud of myself that I’ve managed to do that as I’ve had a very tough four or five years. 

“It’s only people like yourself, like the Tony Hudd’s of this world, Matt Davison (of BBC Radio Kent) and Mike Green who have always kept in touch and been brilliant and kept me involved.

“I did (summarised for BBC Radio Kent) the two semi-finals with Herne Bay, which was very exciting and who knows I might be on the way back!

“I may be on the way back – that may frighten the younger lads. There’s a lot of young boys out there. I talk to Sam McNeil at Kent Football United about things. He’s very young Sam and he’s learning all the time but I still stay in touch.  I speak to (Herne Bay manager) Simon Halsey quite a lot and this year I will probably be in touch with (Maidstone United player-manager) Jay Saunders a little bit.  The Ryman One South looks a very good division, so I’m hoping I’ll play a small part.

“Some sort of part would be lovely. Just to get inside players’ heads and get them to work the way Tommy Sampson wants to work and hopefully that will help Ray Turner.

“Mark my words, he’s the brightest young manager in Kent.

“I’ve always been determined to get back. Always. Football is my life and was my life and still is my life to a certain extent but that dreadful day the doctors told me I was lucky to get through the night.

“Perhaps getting through my first night was a preamble to getting back to football. I had to retire because I simply wasn’t well enough but I’ve built up my stamina and strength and I’ve had Sandie’s help.

“I’m looking at coming back at some time, maybe not in the next year or two, but somewhere down the line, who knows.”

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

Faversham Town  v  Erith & Belvedere
Pre-Season Friendly
Thursday 26^th July 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 8ND