Our ambition is to compete all the way to the last game of the season for those promotional spots, says Sheppey United assistant Marcel Nimani

SHEPPEY UNITED assistant manager Marcel Nimani says the clubs ambition is to compete for promotion this season.
 

Ernie Batten’s side begin their Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division campaign with a trip to Richard Styles’ Tunbridge Wells on Saturday.

The two sides were sitting in the top four before the 2020-21 campaign was curtailed due to the Coronavirus health pandemic and Nimani expects both clubs to be challenging for honours at the end of this campaign.

“We are all excited here at Sheppey United for the start of the new season,” said Nimani.

“We have high hopes and expectations that it will be an exciting campaign and we hope to have a full season completed.

“We are expecting a tough and competitive season in which in my view there will be five teams who have the attributes to compete all the way to the end for those two promotional spots.

“And I happen to think that one of those teams is Tunbridge Wells, the very team which we are starting the season, away.

“They have a great crowd and having worked at the club before, I know from first hand how impactful their fans are to the players on the pitch.

“They also have a very experienced management team who set out an extremely competitive and organised outfit on a weekly basis.

“Our ambition is to compete all the way to the last game of the season for those promotional spots.

“We have recruited a number of experienced players to add to our already wealthy experienced squad. We value experience in players as we feel it will help us to maintain consistency.

“In preparation for the times ahead, we have also recruited a larger squad this year, reasons being, we are mindful that due to the stop-start nature of the previous two seasons and potential further isolations ahead, we feel that players will need longer recovery between games and to avoid any serious harm towards their well-being.”

Nimani added: “Wishing all the clubs, fans, staff and players a safe and an enjoyable season ahead.”

Visit Sheppey United’s website: www.sheppeyunitedfc.co.uk

Tunbridge Wells  v  Sheppey United
Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 31 July 2021
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Culverden Stadium, Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 9SG