Soccer Shorts: Herne Bay appoint Hugo Langton as their new coach

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GILLINGHAM have been handed an away tie at Bristol City in the First Round of the newly-sponsored Capital One Cup.

The tie is scheduled for week beginning 13 August 2012.

The Robins have won 26 games between the two clubs, while Gillingham have won 20. Fourteen games have ended all-square.

HERNE BAY have appointed Hugo Langton as their new coach/assistant manager. 

Langton, 37, who lives in Forest Hill, has previously coached Gillingham Ladies, Rusthall, Holmesdale, Ashford Town, Thamesmead Town and coached and managed Horsham in the Ryman Premier League last season.

Herne Bay manager Simon Halsey guided the club out of the Kent League as champions last season and came agonisingly close to getting to Wembley Stadium in the FA Vase, but they suffered a heartbreaking semi-final defeat away to Northern League side West Auckland Town in the semi-final.

“It’s been an interesting few weeks,” said Langton.

“I’ve been offered a lot of coaching roles but none of them really appealed. 

“I met Simon recently and I knew straight away I knew I could work with him as he is a fantastic manager and is a proper bloke.

“The club is on the up and it’s a real challenge I want to be part of as this is their first season in the Ryman League, which I know inside out.

“I know some of the players already and I’m looking forward to working hard with Simon to keep moving the club on.

“The League is getting tougher and there’s going to be a lot of really big games, lots of derbies, which I’m looking forward to.”

RAMSGATE and Generation Sports, one of the best established and most progressive coaching organisations in the county, are excited to announce their new partnership.

Moving forward, Generation Sports will serve as the official development and community coaching partner for the Ryman League Division One South club, who in the past couple of years have already established the most successful youth teams in east Kent as well as a well-attended soccer school and junior skills academy.

Ramsgate Director Foy Turner told www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk: "This is another move of progression by the club, which is the most rapidly expanding in east Kent and is now the epicentre of youth football in Thanet.

"We had already established a successful player development policy in conjunction with head youth coach Mark Weatherly, which includes some community initiatives, but by working with a partner with the skills and experience of Generation Sports we can push this to new levels."

He added: "It was evident from the outset that both parties had a desire to work together and I'm therefore delighted that this has been achieved. Generation Sports provide the perfect platform for the club to go on to achieve greater success both on and off the field of play."

Generation Sports' founder Phil Fennell said: "We have been looking for a club to work with over the past few years who shared our vision and enthusiasm for creating a programme that can benefit local people of all ages.

"From our discussions and recent relationship with Ramsgate we can see a club that wants to move forward and be the hub of the community, and we think this is the ideal partnership for both parties."

Ramsgate were champions in three of the five age groups in the Kent Youth League in 2011/12, and their Under 18 teams won both the Kent Youth League and East Kent Youth League.

In 2012/13 Ramsgate are again the only club in Thanet competing in the Kent Youth League, and will have Under 18s in the regional division and also the new county-wide Kent Youth League Premier Division, as well as the Ryman Youth League and East Kent Youth League.

Generation Sports have been running many schemes in Thanet for the past 7 years, including a very successful football academy and development programme, which the likes of Ramsgate players Aaron Quain, Joe Taylor, Ollie Gray, Luke Wheatley, Dan Hughes, Anthony Woodward and Josh Merry have all come through.

Current Ramsgate first team player Tom Hickman is sports manager at Generation Sports, where his staff includes community officer Aaron Beech and Reserve players Joe Hickman, Josh Merry, Martin Austin, Ryan Freedman and Dan Langiano.

Tom added: "I have some exciting plans for the club and with our local links I'm aiming to showcase what Ramsgate and Generation Sports has to offer the local community. These are exciting times for the club on and off the field and our staff are relishing the challenge."

SITTINGBOURNE joint-manager Jim Ward has appointed a familiar face as his coach ahead of his first season in charge at Bourne Park.

Will Graham, who played under Ward at Ramsgate, will keep his role youth coaching role at Dover Athletic.

Ward said:  “Will Graham, he’s an old friend of mine.  He got injured playing for me (at Ramsgate).  He’s getting his badges and all that and he’s keen to come in and give it a go with us.”

When asked what Graham will bring to the party, Ward said: “He’ll get the players’ fit, that’s the first thing.  It’s a step-up from being a player where everybody’s got a smile on their face and he’s got to have the discipline to make sure everyone stays in line and gets the respect he deserves.”

Ward revealed his attempts to bring an un-named player to Sittingbourne from Kent League side Erith Town has failed.

“We went for a lad from Erith Town who wanted to get back into Ryman League football, but he went somewhere else for another fiver,” explained the disappointed Scot.

“I’m not going to give his name.  I won’t get into a bidding war.  He promised me he was coming to me but he kept raising the stakes money wise but at the end of the day he went to Faversham for an extra fiver so they’re welcomed to him!”

WELLING UNITED have announced ticket prices for their annual pre-season fixture against Charlton Athletic.

The Park View Road curtain raiser takes place on Saturday, 14 July at 3pm.

Terrace tickets cost £12 (adults) and £7 (under 16s and over 602), while seating costs £14 and £9 respectively.

You can grab your tickets from Park View Road from 10am on Friday morning and they will be on sale between 10am-5pm (Monday to Fridays) and for a two hour period on Saturday's from 10am.