The board have backed me brilliantly to bring Tom Davis to the club, says Tommy Warrilow

TONBRIDGE ANGELS boss Tommy Warrilow says bringing Medway based midfielder Tom Davis to the club is a massive coup.



The 28-year-old Wainscott-based midfielder put pen to paper on a one-year contract with the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South club last night.

Bromley born Davis began his career as a junior with Fulham before a move to Gravesend & Northfleet, where he became an England non-league international.

He has won promotion out of Conference South with St Albans City, Lewes, AFC Wimbledon and Sutton United.

The former Dover Athletic player turned out for Ryman Premier League side Carshalton Athletic last season, before enjoying a loan spell with Blue Square Bet South champions Woking.

The creative midfielder has well-publicised issues with Conference South side Havant & Waterlooville, who were willing to pay over the odds for his signature – but Davis has opted to sign for Tonbridge Angels for nothing more than footballing reasons.

Warrilow is delighted to have enticed Davis to Longmead Stadium, despite fierce competition from the Hampshire outfit.

“I spoke to Tom over a week ago,” explained Warrlilow.  “Obviously we heard about the issues he had at Havant & Waterlooville and got third hand he was interested in coming to us so I started the ball rolling then and it kicked off in the paper a little bit about what was going on about him and Havant.

“I’ve been speaking to him for about a week.  It was well documented the sort of deal that was offered to him. We had no chance to get anywhere near the figures that were on that table.

“The lad just wanted to play football.  The lad got offered a good deal over there.  We’ve cashed in on the situation. 

“The lad has been promoted four times in the Conference South and he’s in that little area that I was looking for in that midfield part with Browno (Lee Browning) and Pipes (Chris Piper) and we’re looking for another number in there.”

Warrilow thanked chairman Steve Churcher and the board for coming up with the cash to make Davis the sixteenth member of his squad.

“We had the Tonbridge carnival yesterday and the Meet-the-Manager day at the club.  I managed to get Steve and a couple of the directors’ in there and I had a little chat to see if we can stretch the budget a little bit. 

“I was stressing to them to get another number in there.  We’ve got a very good player who is a vital part of the jigsaw next year.

“The board have been brilliant.  They’ve backed me.  They wanted to keep the budget to a level that they feel comfortable with, but the numbers (in the squad) were short.

“I only wanted to bring in two or three at the most and keep the squad the same size but losing four (Jon Main, Joe Benjamin, Ade and Tim Olorunda) and bringing one in (George Purcell) it was going to be tight.

“But to get Tom for what we’ve brought him in for is ridiculous.  I’m so glad we’ve got him.”

Warrilow enticed much-sought after striker George Purcell to sign for the club following his release from Dover Athletic last month.

“The two players I’ve got, what two fantastic signings.  It shows our intent.  Hopefully the turnstiles keep clicking and the sponsorships keep coming in. It would be nice to have a FA Cup run.

“Tom came down and had a look yesterday and signed the deal last night.  To say we’re delighted is an understatement, but it’s been on-going for about seven to ten days, the talks.

“He’s a local lad. He lives in Kent. I didn’t realise that. I thought he was a Surrey boy. He lives in Wainscott, which is literally five to ten minutes away from where I live (in Strood). He’s a Medway boy, obviously the travel is a lot less for him.

“I’ve shown him around yesterday and told him what his role will be and he’s more than happy. He’s looking forward to it now.

“He has to sort out his issues with Havant & Waterlooville but from our point of view we’ll be there to support Tom if he has any issues with that, but we won’t get involved with that.  That’s between Tom and Havant & Waterlooville.”

Tonbridge Angels, who are preparing for their second campaign at Conference South level, just cannot compete in the financial stakes of some of their big-spending rivals.

“Frannie Collin has signed the same deal as last year and everyone thinks he got offered more,” said Warrilow, who guided the club to a respectable ninth-place last season.

“The chairman was with me when I invited George Purcell to the presentation night and heard first-hand what he was offered and it was a lot more.

“We’ve got to give ourselves a pat on the back for the calibre of player we are attracting. I’ve got a few lads who are coming down for pre-season. One was a pro and he knows we’ve got no money. 

“I’m still working on a League club to come down to us for pre-season.  If we have a good pre-season, if something happens on the sponsorship front that will change. I’ll go to the board again and ask for another player.

“We have to think what we’re doing and not overstretch and push ourselves into an uncomfortable situation.

“The players’ who are ringing me up is fantastic.   You never thought they’d ring me five years’ ago.

“Things have changed.  We have had a very good year last year and it’s shown again with the two additions to the side we have.”

Warrilow is proud that star-striker Frannie Collin not only picked up the Conference South Golden Boot with 29 League goals, but the 26-year-old was selected in the Conference South side of the year.

But Warrilow added: “Well, what’s gone under the radar, but Frannie Collin got Conference South player-of-the-year as well!  That’s an unbelievable achievement. That’s nothing to do with Tonbridge, nothing to do with us at all.  All the sides in the league, the players, and managers have all picked a side and Frannie got player-of-the-year.

“Not only we’ve got the Golden Boot sign for us again next year we’ve got the best player in Conference South and hopefully Frannie will build on that.”

But with his budget eaten up with only sixteen players, Warrilow will utilise his reserve and Academy squad’s next season.

He has included teenage defender George Crimmen in his first team squad and has asked the club’s youngsters to push themselves next season.

Warrilow said: “It’s a big year for him.  He has come up through the youth set up and reserves with Colin Blewden.

“It’s a big ask for George and he will be a part of it.

“Listen, they’re never going to get a better chance.  I said that at the presentation dinner to all of them.  I don’t care how old people are.  If you’re 35 (like Ben Judge) or sixteen if you can do a job you can play.  But there is a massive jump from being a lad playing well in the reserves to playing in a Conference South game and that’s what we’ve got to be aware of, but they’ve got an ideal opportunity to do that.

“The opportunity is there for the reserves and the Academy to stake a claim this year.”

Visit Tonbridge Angels’ website: www.tonbridgeangelsonline.co.uk  

Article published: 14:10 – Monday 11 June 2012