Stones boss delighted with the fitness of his players

Thursday 15th July 2010

MAIDSTONE UNITED manager Peter Nott says he will be finalising deals with a couple of players after tonight’s training session, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Stones kick-off their pre-season campaign with an away game against Safety Net Associates Kent League side Erith & Belvedere on Saturday, and go into the game on the back of four training sessions and an internal match where Nott has gone through numerous trialists.

Nott spoke to www.kentishfootball.co.uk ahead of tonight’s training session and he is looking forward to the warm-up at Park View Road.

“Yes, it’s great to be back to be honest,” he said. “I’m delighted with the way pre-season is going at the moment.

“This is our fourth (training) session plus we’ve had an internal game ourselves. The boys have come back a lot fitter than I expected, which is great, and it’s enabled us to get the balls out a little bit earlier than I thought we would.

“The attitude has been absolutely superb and new coach Steve Nolan has been first class. Some of the sessions he has put on has been hard work for the boys so our on-the-field preparations at the moment have been great.

“It will be nice to get into a competitive match on Saturday, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Stones supporters will cast their eye on at least 22 players when their side tackle Erith & Belvedere, who kick-off their pre-season campaign under Micky Collins’ management.

“We will take a first half team and a second half team,” revealed Nott. “We need to make a decision about trialists very quickly as we have taken a few out after our internal game last Saturday.

“I’ve told the boys we will take a full squad and we will mix the squad up so there will be no indication on what we’re thinking of doing on the starting line-up for the season because we’re too far away from that at the moment.“

Nott added: “I’m hoping to finalise a couple of deals tonight at training and if all goes well we will announce those tomorrow.

“We have committed very early to some of the players and we just have to finish a little bit of unfinished business. I hope two of those will be finalised tonight.

“We will be looking to have a squad of around eighteen players and knowing that I have got, maybe, in time, half a dozen good reserve team players that can come through to bolster the squad if we get injuries.”

Meanwhile, at a meeting at Wembley Stadium today, the Ryman League has reached an agreement with Grays Athletic and East Thurrock for Grays Athletic to play at East Thurrock’s ground for the next two seasons.

Consequently the Ryman League has agreed to admit Grays Athletic to Division One North of the Ryman League for next season.

“This agreement is subject to certain conditions, one of which is the approval of the FA Leagues Committee which meets tomorrow afternoon,” said a Ryman League statement.

“Subject to that approval the fixtures for the Premier Division will be issued at 5pm tomorrow. The fixtures for the Step 4 divisions will be issued as soon as possible next week.”

Grays, who finished in the relegation zone of the Blue Square Premier last season, were expected to drop down into the Ryman Premier League.

Nott, like the rest of us, cannot wait for the fixtures to be published.

He said: “They’ve been promising us the fixtures for the last couple of days now. I understand the Grays situation, they have now been put into Ryman Division One North.

“No disrespect to them, I am pleased our League will be an even number so we’re not having a weekend off every so often, so that’s one bit of good news.”

“That’s one bit of good news, but we look forward to the fixtures but before we get into them we have got nine pre-season games and that’s what we’ll be focusing on next to make sure we’re ready for the kick-off on 21 August.”

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website: www.erithandbelvederefc.co.uk

Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk

Erith & Belvedere v Maidstone United

Pre-Season Friendly

Saturday 17th July 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY