My side will be firing on all cylinders, insists Foley - EXCLUSIVE

New VCD Athletic boss Paul Foley is relishing next Wednesday night’s pre-season friendly against Gillingham at Oakwood, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Crayford based Kent League club are entertaining the League One side at their ground at Old Road.

And central defender Foley, who during the close season took over the managerial reigns from Dean Frost, who reverts back to his coaching role, has tonight unveiled the new faces that will assist the club’s push towards it’s first ever Kent League title next April.

“We have managed to retain all of last season’s squad, which is a major boost for the club, as a number of Ryman League clubs have been in for a few of the squad, as you would expect,” Foley said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight.

“A couple of the lads have been looked at by League clubs, so we are delighted to have the same squad this year.

“It says a lot about the pull that this club has on the players and the direction that it is going in, under the drive and ambition of the chairman, and the club as a whole.

“In addition, we are hoping to announce maybe two or three big new signings over the next week or two as we have been looking at a number of players over the first few training sessions, but we won’t be making any decisions until we play a couple of friendlies.”

A few familiar faces that have returned to the club for pre-season are Kevin Spriggs, Ricky Bennett and Phil Turner.

And Foley revealed: “I have managed to recall some old team-mates from my time at Maidstone United, in Paul Ribbens, Ian Court and also Ross Edwards, who has been on honeymoon.

“We also have a couple of promising young lads who we are looking at, so all in all, we should have a strong squad than last year with the select additions we are looking to make.”

Locally based defender Gary Cook, who played for Vickers’ Kent League rivals Herne Bay last season, has attended a few training sessions, and Foley added: “We will be giving him, and all the players I’ve mentioned, a run-out in the two friendlies lined up for next week.”

After playing host to the Gills, Vickers welcome Ryman Premier League side Ramsgate to Oakwood, and Foley is looking forward to facing his former manager, Jim Ward.

He said: “We will be approaching the game against Gillingham and the one on Saturday against Ramsgate as pure fitness sessions as they are quite early in the pre-season programme.

“It gives us a chance to look at the players we would like to add to the squad and also for them to see if they like the look of us.

“They will both be decent run-outs for the boys and I am looking forward to seeing my old club Ramsgate, and even old red-face Wardy too!”

Foley then takes his side to Kent County League side Cray Valley PM on Wednesday, 25^th July.

“They are managed by Mark Edwards, an old team-mate from my Greenwich Borough days,” explained Foley. “This is a regular fixture for us and is normally a well-contested game.”

For their final three pre-season games, Foley will be looking at the players who should embark their Kent League campaign, when the club welcome Cray Wanderers (31^st July), Maidstone United (4^th August) and neighbours Phoenix Sports (7^th August), ahead of the big Kent League kick off on 11^th August.

“Again it is a case of an old boys reunion, as I played with (Cray Wanderers’ manager Ian Jenkins) Jenko and also played for the Stones, so it will be good to see both sets of players and supporters down the ground.

“We then play our neighbours Phoenix Sports in our final warm-up game, by which time we hope to be firing on all cylinders.”

With plenty of football taking place at Vickers’ smart ground, Foley urges fans to sample the facilities.

He said: “The ground is looking superb and the pitch is like a carpet at the moment. Micky Dimmock, Paul Young and the gang have worked wonders on it over the summer, and it looks an absolute picture.

“We are sure that the friendlies will be good games to both play in and watch as it will give both sides a chance to get the ball down and pass it around, one of the reasons that I won’t be playing in the early ones!

“We hope to see some fans checking out the ground and the facilities and coming back during the course of the season.”

Meanwhile, following a conversation with Keith McMahon, the manager of Thamesmead Town tonight, the Kent League fixtures are expected to be published on Monday at the latest.

Visit VCD Athletic’s website: www.vcd-athletic.co.uk

VCD Athletic v Gillingham
Pre-Season Friendly
Wednesday 18^th July 2007
Kick Off 7:30pm
At Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, DA1 4DN