We need all the help we can get so a run in The FA Cup helps out massively, says cash-strapped Thamesmead Town boss Tommy Warrilow

THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Tommy Warrilow says he knows the importance of their record run in The FA Cup.

The cash-strapped Ryman League Division One North club have never played a Third Qualifying Round tie before and Warrilow takes his side to Ryman Premier League Merstham tomorrow aiming to continue the run to the final qualifying round.

Thamesmead Town are fourth-from-bottom in the table, having collected two wins, two draws and four defeats, although they do have games in hand on their rivals.

Merstham, meanwhile, are slap bang in the middle of the Ryman Premier League table with a playing record of three wins, three draws and three defeats.

“It’s a nice draw really because looking at some of the teams that are in it, it could be a lot, lot worse,” said Warrilow.

“They’re on a good run of form at the moment, scoring goals for fun, whether it’s a good time or a bad time to play them?

“We’re playing well, we’re just not getting the results that our performances have warranted.

“I’m not concerned because if we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to win more games than we lose.

“We should have got all three points on Saturday and again on Tuesday. I felt we had situations where we could have gone in 4-1 or 4-2 up whatever and the game changes.

“We’re going into it, even though results don’t look it, we’re going into the game playing well. Hopefully we can tidy a few bits up and change our fortunes.”

Warrilow is keen to extend the club’s longest ever FA Cup run – to bring in much needed funds into the club to help his chairman Paul Bowden-Brown.

“I said in my last programme notes it means a lot to every non-league club,” he said.

“We’ve got the chairman down there funding it, trying to get sponsorships in so the more money we can get the more it helps the chairman out.

“I think it’s well documented it’s not gone well off-the-pitch. The chairman’s been left holding the baby a little bit on his own so we need to help him as much as we can.  Businesses or local people who can sponsor us please come down and help out!

“We need all the help we can get so a run in The FA Cup helps out massively.”

When asked whether the club’s off-the-pitch issues are known within the changing room, Warrilow replied: “We’re not going to be ignorant to it. I sort of walked into it, I didn’t know what was happening prior to me being there so it was relatively new to me.

“Now I know what’s happened and what’s happening I feel for the chairman but most of football knows what’s going on so from our point of view we’re there to play football and win games, which will bring in more better players and more fans to the club.

“Success attracts and brings in sponsorship deals and bring us through a difficult period.

“Winning tomorrow would help out hugely but we’re not the only non-league team going to be saying that.

“Get through tomorrow and be in the hat on Monday, it will be a massive accomplishment for the players, the club and everyone down there.”

FA Cup victories over Guernsey, Chertsey Town and Hanwell Town has brought in £9,425 in prize money, while there is a further £7,500 sitting there on the table for the winner tomorrow.

“I’ve not had the best of luck in The FA Cup, my time at Tonbridge, I will be the first to admit,” added Warrilow.

“It’s nice to go down and create history, it will not do us any harm,. We’ve done it the hard way, two replays and extra time (to beat Guernsey on penalties and Hanwell Town) and a trip to Guernsey.

“We’ve definitely earnt the money we’ve earnt so far.

“It’s been good turning games around. In both of those games we really should have been out of sight in both games at Guernsey and away to Hanwell.  We have got to start, when we’re on top, putting chances away and don’t make it difficult for ourselves.

“We’re playing well. It’s still really early in the season so if we keep doing what we’re doing and we’ll be ok.”

Visit Thamesmead Town’s website: www.thamesmeadtownfc.com

Merstham  v  Thamesmead Town
The Emirates FA Cup Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 1^st October 2016
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Moatside Stadium, Weldon Way, Merstham, Surrey RH1 3QB