Sampson vows to lead Redhill into the Ryman League - EXCLUSIVE

Tommy Sampson is relishing the opportunity in leading Sussex County League side Redhill into the Ryman League after taking over the managerial reigns last Monday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Sampson has decided to drop back down into County League football after two successful seasons at Horsham YMCA.

Assisting John Suter, Sampson, whose managed Kent sides Sheppey United, Herne Bay, Deal Town, Ashford Town and Dartford, helped the Gorings Mead outfit to the Sussex County League title and a respectable ninth placed finish in the club’s first ever Ryman League Division One South campaign.

BOSS:  Tommy Sampson (above) and Stuart McIntyre (below) are the new management team of Surrey side Redhill - and the pair who have previously managed in Kent have vowed to clinch promotion from the Sussex County League into the Ryman League within two seasons.

Photographs courtesy of www.redhillfc.co.uk



And Maidstone resident Sampson has enlisted former Bromley boss, Stuart McIntyre, 46, as his assistant.

After leaving Hayes Lane, McIntyre went on to manage Ryman League Division One South side Kingstonian.

“The more they spoke to me about it, the more interesting it became,” Sampson said of his move to Redhill EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I never applied for it or anything like that. The people there, I know someone there, and got a phone call from that person, to really say “was I interested?” - and I said no!

“He never offered me the job, they wanted to talk to me. I originally said no, after a couple of phone calls, I said “I’ll talk to them,” and it became very interesting.

“From them offering me the job, for me taking it, was about ten days. I had to make a lot of enquiries and weigh it up in my mind - and that’s what I did.

“I decided that there’s enough there, it’s a very progressive and ambitious club, that are trying to step up into the next level - the Ryman League.”

Sampson has given himself two seasons to lead the Kiln Brow outfit into the Ryman League - following in the footsteps of Horsham YMCA.

Speaking about his time with YM, Sampson said: “I must be honest, I had two fantastic years with John - I couldn’t have enjoyed it even more.

“But there’s a job to be done here. Redhill’s probably two or three years, I was never in charge at Horsham YMCA - I just ran the football.

“I see this as a great challenge. If we could take Redhill forward and get back into the Ryman League, that will be good for me - I see it as a good challenge.

“It’s not easy to drop out of the Ryman League but it’s a chance I’m taking, with a progressive club.”

Redhill will certainly have one of the most experienced managerial teams in Sussex County League football.

“Stuart McIntyre is my first team coach,” revealed Sampson. “It’s a very strong management team and I may appoint a third person as well - we’re not yet sure.

“Stuart is an UEFA A Licensed coach, he’s about six years younger than me - we’re both very experienced guys.

But Sampson is relishing the opportunity in leading Surrey outfit Redhill to glory - backed by an ambitious board.

“I had no need to drop out of the Ryman League, me and John worked ever so well together but I want to get my teeth into this - I consider this as a good career move for me,” said Sampson.

“To be fair, there’s new people in the club who have been at the club for a year or so and it’s that type of people that have started planning permission for a new stand.

“They’re a well supported side at that level. If there’s a reasonable amount of success gates could increase from 150 plus to 300.

“We’ve invited them to eat, now we have to give them a good meal.”

Sampson, however, admitted that the Sussex County League is a much better league than it’s Kentish equivalent.

But teams coming out of the Kent League always do better than Sussex sides, as Cray Wanderers, Ramsgate and Maidstone United have proved in the Ryman League Division One South during the past three seasons.

“It’s a strong league than the Kent League,” said Sampson. “It’s deeper, more teams and more games and I would never go back into the Kent League.

“It’s a hard league to win and whether we can do that we’ll see, but we’re looking to win it.

“They’re looking to get into the Ryman in two years. We said, “why can’t we do it in one?”

“We’re aiming for players from above and encouraging players to come from the higher level and the better players from Sussex.