The FA Cup is a road that leads to great, exciting things, says Ramsgate boss Jim Ward

RAMSGATE boss Jim Ward says he expects to win their tough FA Cup tie at Whitehawk on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.


The Scot takes his side down to Brighton to face the big-spending Hawks in a tough Preliminary Round tie, looking to enjoy an extended run in the competition.

Ward guided the Thanet club to the First Round back in 2005 when they lost away to then Blue Square Conference North side Nuneaton Borough.

“If the FA Cup was seeded we’d have the hardest tie, either them or Bognor Regis,” said Ward.

“Whitehawk are 4 or 5-1 to win this league and we’re in the highest division in this round so on paper it’s a nasty tie.”

Unbeaten Ramsgate sit in fourth place in the Ryman League Division One South table, one place above Saturday’s opponents, who have lost one of their four league outings.

“I expect to win! I don’t expect anything else,” said Ward.

“We’ve got a great set of lads’ here.  The togetherness and the fitness, well, it’s the best it’s been for years’.  It’s really been spot on.  Every half in every game we’ve been on top, which is a good sign at this time of the season so long may it continue.”

With £1,500 up for grabs for the winner, Ward knows the importance of progressing, and a potential trip to local rivals Folkestone Invicta could await them in the next round.

Ward said: “Well, every game is important, but you want to stay in the FA Cup for as long as we can.  Me personally, I want to stay in it because of the fun it brings. 

“When we got to the first round a few years’ ago we missed Nottingham Forest by one number and got Nuneaton – but the fun we had along the way was fantastic!

“My chairman (Richard Lawson), will tell you the opposite.  He’ll tell you it’s the financial thing and he’s right! But for me and my players’ it’s a road that leads to great, exciting things.”

The Ramsgate boss is looking at the league table with a sense of pride, especially as his side have picked up points against newly promoted Crawley Down (1-0), Sittingbourne (1-1), Chipstead (2-1) and a 2-0 home win over another newly promoted side, Hythe Town on Bank Holiday Monday.

“They can stop it now. That will do me.  I’d be fourth in the league, I’d be in the play-off’s,” said Ward.

“If you offer me fourth or fifth now, I’d snap your hand off at the end of the season.  We’re delighted.  Our fitness levels have been very good.  We’re creating loads of chances, we’re not taking them at the moment, but we’re creating loads, which is a good sign.

“It’s good times at the moment.  We’ve turned the corner at Christmas.  We were good from Christmas.  Our form from Christmas to April would have been good enough to get us into the top five into the play-off’s, but the season lasts for 40 odd weeks so we weren’t good enough but we’ve carried on.  

“We’ve made a couple of signings and we’ve carried on from Christmas in the same vein and we’re delighted with it.”

Visit Ramsgate’s website: www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk  

Whitehawk  v  Ramsgate
FA Cup with Budweiser Preliminary Round
Saturday 3^rd September 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at East Brighton Park, Wilson Avenue, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 5TS