Seager will be a top manager, says "father figure" Sampson - EXCLUSIVE

Marc Seager admitted yesterday that he’s made numerous telephone calls to his “father figure” Tommy Sampson for advice, during his first - and successful - full season as manager of Whitstable Town, writes Stephen McCartney.

Seager was persuaded to become the club’s player-manager following Matt Toms’ departure and has delivered the Kent League title to The Belmont for the very first time in the club’s 122-year history, during his first full season at the helm.

Seager won his first piece of silverware as manager when his side defeated Bearsted, courtesy of Marlon Button’s 67^th minute screamer, to lift the Kent Senior Trophy at Dartford’s Princes Park Stadium three weeks ago.

And they clinched the Kent League title when VCD Athletic were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by strugglers Tunbridge Wells at Culverden Stadium during the last week of the season.

But their treble dream was dashed by Thamesmead Town, who won the Kent League Cup Final 3-0 at Folkestone Invicta’s Buzzlines Stadium yesterday - a game too far for jaded Whitstable.

Seager is relishing the opportunity of standing in the opposite technical area to Horsham YMCA coach Sampson, having played under him at Deal Town (winning the FA Vase at the old Wembley Stadium in 2000), and Ashford Town.

“If Tom’s still there, that will be great. I can’t wait to be in the opposite dug-out to Tommy,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.  

“Tommy and me are very close and I’ve got to say, Tommy’s helped me so much this season.

“He’s always been there, a bit of a father figure, if you like.

“There has been times when I found it hard during the season and there were times when I wanted to have a chat with people and he was always there for me - he always gives good advice.”

Sampson was in the same hotel room when Seager gave his pre-match chat to his players prior to yesterday’s cup final defeat.

Sampson is the only manager at this level in Kent to have won the domestic treble, leading Herne Bay to success during season 1996-97.

“It was nice today that he came over to the hotel with us before the game and I felt nervous because he was sitting there,” admitted Seager.

“But he’s been there, done it, and he’ll still have won over on me, won’t he?

“But the only thing I’ve got over him is that I’ve took a team into the Ryman’s, so I’m sure we’ll have a few laughs together.”

But Sampson, who coached Sussex side Horsham YMCA to a respectable ninth place in the Ryman League Division One South on a shoe-string budget this season, congratulated Seager on this season’s achievements.

“Put it this way, he played for me at Deal and Ashford, and I always thought he was a deep thinker,” Sampson said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk today.

“You deal with players and sometimes everything goes over their heads and Seags was different.

“He always wanted to know how, where, what for, and I did say to him at the start of the season, don’t manage at the expense of playing. Playing is enjoyable, managing isn’t enjoyable.”

Sampson is proud that one of his former players has achieved so much as a manager, despite being a rookie.

“What he’s done in his rookie season, in his first year, is fantastic and he’s right, they’ve won promotion,” he said.

“I won four promotions in Kent and never went up with ground criteria problems. I had to go into Sussex to get promotion.

“When I won my treble at Herne Bay, we won the league last,” he recalled. “We won the Senior Trophy, won the League Cup and we still had to win the League.

“I think Seags’ winning the League last week dented the lads desire and Marc said it was one game too much.

“We’ve had some good managers in this League, Neil Cugley, Jim Ward, Peter Coupland, Ian Jenkins and Steve Hearn.

“They’ve all tried to win the treble, and Marc’s come close.

“If he steers clear of too much bad luck, I think he’ll be a top manager.

“He’s got seventeen or eighteen years in front of him. I’m still doing it and learning every day.

“I’m pleased for Whitstable. They are a nice and superb club and to be in the Ryman League is excellent.”

Sampson hopes, however, that the two of them don’t go head-to-head on the opening day of the Ryman League Division One South season on Saturday, 18^th August.

He said: “A fantastic achievement for Whitstable and Marc and we’re good friends and we’ll be the most ruthless of rivals when we play against each other next year.

“I just hope it’s not the first one. For me, personally I don’t want to play Marc too early - I want him to settle in. 

“We’re very respectful for each other and (I just hope he has) a good start under his belt.

He added: “For me, I still think I’m the only manager to win the treble, and I’m chocked for Marc that he hasn’t.

“You ask any manager, league titles are important. You win the league because you’re the best team.

“I’ve won six league titles, as a player at Dartford, Herne Bay, Deal and Horsham, and as a manager at Herne Bay and Deal.

“It’s just hard work. You can’t win the League with luck - you win the League because you’re better.”

Seager has already started talking to players for their Ryman League debut in August, and Sampson warned his star pupil that he cannot be sentimental to the players that won the Kent League double if he feels they cannot make the step up.

“The Ryman League South is a football league and if you play football you have a chance,” warned Sampson.

“But he’ll have to look at his squad very carefully and see who can and who can’t.

“Management’s cutting. You can’t be sentimental. I’ve always told Marc, sentiment in football is your enemy. If you are, it can kill you.

“He has to work out who can and who can’t - you always keep the maybes.”

Seager added: “I’ve been on the phone this week, so looking forward to it.

“We’ll be back on July 12^th and looking forward to the forthcoming season.

“The only time I’ll switch off a little bit is when I go to Portugal for two weeks with Paula and the kids but the phone won’t switch off.

“But I’ll try to switch off maybe for a couple of minutes a day.”

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk