Silverware is most definately on the agenda, says Seven Acre & Sidcup boss Chris Tuley

SEVEN ACRE & SIDCUP manager Chris Tuley says his side will be the underdogs when they open their Kent Invicta League campaign at Hollands & Blair on Saturday.


The Oxford Road outfit finished in tenth-place in the inaugural Kent Invicta League campaign under previous boss Lee Hill, who has maintained his role as club secretary.

Tuley has been very busy in the summer transfer market as he bids to improve on last season and aims to bring some silverware to the club.

He said: “Pre-season has been quite hectic with lots happening in and around the club.

“On the footballing side I’m happy with the way the squad has formed. We have brought in a number of new faces to add and strengthen to what we have kept from last year and the boys have all bonded very well.

“On the pitch the players have done very well indeed and their fitness is very good – so it should be with a young squad like ours!

“There is still work to do on the playing side, but that will come in good time.”

Tuley is relishing the opening game at Star Meadow, against a Hollands & Blair side that finished in third-place last season.  The club also won the Kent Senior Trophy for the first time in their history.

Tuley said: “It’s fantastic to be playing a good team as good as Hollands & Blair.  They will be top-four no doubt.

“I can’t wait to see how far we have come when we line up against them and after 90 minutes.

“No doubt we will be the underdogs but let’s see.”

When asked what his aspirations are for the season ahead, Tuley replied, “As for the season, the club’s objective is to improve on last year and finish higher than last year’s position, but up the top of the table competing with the best teams in the league, that’s why you play football and what it’s all about.

“Silverware is most definitely also on the agenda!”

Hollands & Blair manager, Paul Piggott, meanwhile, is also looking for a much better league campaign, after missing out on the title by five points last season.

He said: “Pre-season has gone well. I don’t remember too many times doing it in the amount of rain we’ve had mind you!

“We deliberately had hard games in our build-up to push the players to their limit and apart from conceding four against a good Faversham side, we didn’t look too bad for sharpness throughout.”

Piggott expects to face strong opposition in their opening game.

He said: “Our first game is against Seven Acre, who gave us three good games last year in their first season in the league.

“I hear they’ve made one or two signings so they’ll be strong again. 

“We were disappointed with our league form last season so we’ll be looking to be more consistent and then what will be, will be.”

Blair’s reward for beating Kent League side Sevenoaks Town in the Kent Senior Trophy Final last season is to be handed a home tie against Ryman League Division One South side Ramsgate in the Second Round of the Kent Senior Cup (Sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com)

It will be the Gillingham club’s first ever appearance in the prestigious competition and if they cause another cup upset against Tim Dixon’s side then Piggott will take his side to Thamesmead Town – or holders Hythe Town – in the quarter-finals.

Piggott said: “We are lucky enough to be invited into the Kent Senior Cup this coming season, which is massive for our club. We’ve been drawn against Ramsgate, so it shows how tough a Cup it is, but it’ll be good experience for everybody involved.”

Visit Hollands & Blair’s website: www.hollandsandblair.teamexpert.co.uk

Hollands & Blair  v  Seven Acre & Sidcup
Kent Invicta League
Saturday 11^th August 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Star Meadow Sports Club, Darland Avenue, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3AN