Playing youth is our policy, says new Margate boss Ashby

NEW MARGATE manager Barry Ashby has vowed to play local talented youngsters during the Thanet club’s Ryman Premier League campaign next season, writes Steve Wells.

Ashby, Paul Smith (player-coach) Neville Southall (football development officer), Mark Weatherly (football community officer), Phil Fennell (Generation Sports), Ken Tomlinson (football secretary), Colin Page (director) and Luigi Scott (chairman of Margate’s youth section) were available to answer questions from supporters at last night’s open meeting at Hartsdown Park.

The focus on the questions was on the manager’s expectations for the coming season and how the club would seek to find and develop local talent.

“We want to finish as high as we can,” said former Gillingham star Ashby, speaking to www.margate-fc.com.

With a new team and change of direction his view was that it would be unrealistic to set firm and overly aggressive goals.

The identification and development of local talent would be a key success factor for the coming season.

Already the intention has been set to ensure that teams are set out and play in a style that allows continuity from the youth section, through the reserves and into the first team.

But the manager and Southall said that the players coming in would “have to be good enough” to help the club move forward and be competitive in the Ryman Premier League.

To that end, both Ashby and his assistant, Smith have already been talking to a number of potential players and will continue to do so.

Talking about the desire to bring in and nurture local talent, Southall encouraged supporters to bring good local players to the club’s attention.

“Tell us who these players are, and we’ll have a look,” he said. “Even better, get them to contact the club directly. But, they do have to be good enough.”

The question of pre-season friendlies was raised and Ashby confirmed that he has spoken to two league clubs about matches against Margate.

But he did warn that time was tight to arrange games given the commitments already in place for many league clubs.

The management team also confirmed that they would be using their network of contacts into the full-time game to look for good loan opportunities during the season.

Director Mr Page also confirmed that an appointment to position of Director of Football should be made in the coming days and that negotiations are underway for a new main club sponsor.

Former Gills star Ashby, meanwhile, explained why he’s moving into management with a Kent club.

“Basically, myself and Paul (Smith) over the last six months have been looking for a way back into football,” Ashby told www.margate-fc.com.

“Lots of jobs have come up (and) we’ve had a few offers as well. But we wanted to do something where we were in control, and we thought (and with a club who) were as ambitious as ourselves and the Margate job came up.

“Through non-league circles, we know that Margate is still a big club so we just decided to throw our hat (into the ring). Fortunately enough – we had a couple of interviews - and finally we got the job and just can’t wait to crack on with it really.”

Change is the name of the game for the coming season as the Blues look to build a more solid and local foundation to support future success.

And Ashby said: “We’ll try to give this club a younger, fresher look. We will (bring) a younger, fresher look to the side, and we will work as hard as we possibly can.”

Ashby is clearly delighted to get his first opportunity in management and in an honest assessment added: “If it doesn’t go our way and it doesn’t go right, no one will be able to turn round and say well they didn’t work hard enough.”

On the issue of local talent, the manager said, “It’s (going to be) massive for us to get local talent in. Again, as I said tonight (at the Q&A session) they have to be good enough and they have to take their chance. I can’t just put a lad in because he’s local and he’s not bad. If he’s not performing on that pitch, we might have to drag people out at times.

“If I can get three, four lads – local - playing 50 games a year and it stimulates more interest in the club; stimulate more interest through younger players wanting to come to us rather than going to other places throughout Thanet, Kent – it’s all positive stuff for the club. That’s the way we’re looking at it.

“There’s some good young talent at Margate Football Club I just think they need to be channelled in the right way; put a bit more responsibility on to them (in terms of fitness, for example).

“Some of these lads at out club are going to get a chance and it’s up to them to prove to me that they deserve to play 50-60 games a season.”

The two most eagerly anticipated derbies next season will be Ramsgate (as in the last two years) but also newly promoted Dover Athletic, where a number of Gillingham connections will be re-made.

Ashby said: “Yeh, Andy Hess, Darren Hare down there. Quiet a few (ex-Gillingham) boys down there; Alan Pouton, Jonny Wallis people like that

“But no, we want to beat them, like he wants to beat me, simple as that. We’re pals but for those 90 minutes, we’ll be at each-other’s throats like you couldn’t imagine. Same as the Ramsgate game – I wouldn’t expect anything different. If my players come here and aren’t up for a battle when we play Ramsgate then there’s something seriously wrong.

“I think (with) myself and Paul you’ll see a side who is up for it and has the same sort of passion as us. I think anyone can see that we’re both very passionate about the game and that’s the way we want our sides to play.”

Article courtesy of www.margate-fc.com