Reserves will be given a chance, says Nott

Sunday 14th February 2010

MAIDSTONE UNITED’S new manager Peter Nott says he will have enough players at his disposal for their congested fixture pile-up, writes Stephen McCartney.

Nott, 46, who lives in Maidstone, is a dealer principal of three Volvo dealerships and he has been with the club for nine years. He took over the first team manager’s role last week following the shock resignations of Lloyd Hume and Alan Walker, who were in charge for five years.

Thrown in at the deep end, Nott lost his first game in charge, going down to a 3-0 home defeat to Hendon, but a workmanlike performance and a fine finish from James Pinnock was enough to beat Carshalton Athletic at Colston Avenue last Thursday.

Yesterday’s home game against Horsham fell victim to last week’s snow in Ashford, but the Stones are the victim of the Ryman League’s 42-day ruling, which means postponed games must be re-arranged within six weeks

That means that the club’s next two home games (against Waltham Abbey and Bognor Regis Town) must be played on Thursday night’s.

Waltham Abbey and Bognor Regis Town are both at the foot of the table with 24 points from 25 games, so wins over those two sides will help the Stones survive the drop.

“When I look through (the fixture list) between now and April, we’ve got at least one midweek fixture and a couple of week’s we’ve got two and that’s without allowing for any postponements,” Nott told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“We haven’t got the biggest of squads but we have got good depth in the reserves and those players will be given a chance and we need to rely on them as well.”

The former reserve team manager joked: “I know a far bit about the reserves! We’ve got a lot of the boys already involved with the squad and there’s a couple that I want to push through.

“But I think it’s important for them as well that they’re in a team or maybe two or three rather than five or six, like it was the other night (against Hendon).”

The Stones are now four places above the Ryman Premier League drop zone with 32 points from 25 games and Nott insists he is the man to guide the club for the long-term.

“It helps that I haven’t come from the outside,” he said. “They know me from being around the club at training sessions so I’m absolutely delighted they’ve (the first team players) have accepted me and Tony (Cornwell, my assistant).

“They’re listening and we’re encouraging them to just enjoy their football, get the ball down on the floor and they’ve taken to that.”

Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

Maidstone United v Waltham Abbey

Ryman Premier League

Thursday 18th February 2010

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Homelands Stadium, Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN26 1NJ