There is enough talent in Thanet for us to mix it in Southern Counties East League - Liam Morris

LIAM MORRIS says his ambition is to guide East Kent College Football Club in to the Southern Counties East Football League within the next seven years.



The Ramsgate based club, who play their home games at the Marlowe Academy, have had a dream start to their inaugural season in the Haart of Kent County League, winning all seven of their league games and top the Division Two East table by nine points, ahead of Deal Town’s reserves.

“We are obviously delighted with our start,” said former Ramsgate footballer Morris, who co-managers the side alongside Luke Williams.

“Entering the unknown is difficult, so to have our 100% record intact is superb.

“Being our debut campaign at this level means we have no idea what the opposition will be, so to have won all seven games so far and most in convincing fashion is pleasing for us.

“The lads have been brilliant – we have played some superb stuff but at the same time worked hard enough to earn the right to play our football.”

Morris spoke in depth about the club that was only founded in 2012.

He said: “We are a new born club, comprising of the first team playing in the Kent County League and then we have three adult sides playing in the Thanet Saturday and Sunday League and also the Deal Sunday League.

“We also have two youth sides, the Bear Cubs at under 9’s and under 11’s.

“We have the full support and backing from the college and run alongside their sports programmes and college team which play during the week.

“Gary Beckett, who is director of football development at the club, is also tutor on the college’s sports programme.

“The college have an ambition to be fielding students within our first team, which we have already been able to achieve.

“Dean Jones has cemented a place in the team and the likes of Lewis Britton and Reece Wallace are on the fringes, the latter of which has appearances and assists against his name in the squad statistics.

“This is a start and hopefully the club can promote the college as much as the college can promote the club – that will be the main aim.

Morris’ former club, Ramsgate, now play in Ryman League Division One South and East Kent College play five league’s lower than the Rams.

When asked whether the players at that level are as committed as their Ryman League counterparts, Morris replied: “Believe it or not, the lads’ attitudes are completely the same as those at that level, superb really.

“Myself and Luke (Williams), who have both played Ryman football, instilled the professionalism into our teams from day one of our managerial career when we took over a local Sunday League side three years ago.

“Now with the support of Gary Beckett and along with Tim Hunt we have been able to improve that and build a rock solid foundation going forward.

“We have been lucky enough to have players such as my brother Kieran, Aaron Robinson, Ryan Harker, all of whom have experience at Ryman level, so they know what to expect.

“To be honest if you look at the better sides in local football they all try to do things the right way – it helps breed a winning attitude.

“It can actually make the whole experience more enjoyable for those involved too!”

The Kent County League decided to mix up their lower divisions with first teams as well as reserve team outfits and East Kent College come up against the reserve sides of Deal Town and two Kent Invicta League sides in the shape of Bearsted and Lydd Town.

Morris said: “When we first went for our interview to enter the league there was a possibility that we would have to start in Division Three, which with no disrespect to those teams, wouldn’t have been ideal – so we do count ourselves lucky that the League committee found us fit to start in Division Two.

“But having said that, even though those sides have ‘reserves’ written next to their club name – they are still part of well-known and established Kent football clubs.

“You only have to look at the table and apart from us and Faversham Strike Force, three of those so called reserve sides make up the top five.

“They can make use of their respectively club’s pool of players, which at the moment is much bigger than ours.”

Morris believes the club can progress up through the Kent County League and make it to play Deal Town’s first team because of the number of talented players in the local area.

“Well for someone who played all his football for local sides you can see it is important for me that we do whatever we can to help players in this district have a chance of playing at the highest possible standard,” he said.

“Even if we are just a stepping stone along the way, it will be a job well done for us.

“I truly believe there is enough talent in this area to get this football club mixing it with the likes of Deal, Canterbury City and Ashford in the Southern Counties East League – if not beyond that too!

“When you look at the local talent playing in our District Saturday and Sunday Leagues, you do not need to go far to put together a strong side.”

But in order to progress to a higher level of football, the club would have to find a suitable location than their current base at the Marlowe Academy.

“The club are obviously actively looking for a permanent base,” revealed Morris.

“But we have some way to go on the pitch before the proper ground facilities are required, although you say that someone told me the other day that there is only four promotions before we are in the Southern Counties East League.

“You could easily fit that into a six to seven year plan, but we will go about our business season by season and see where it takes us.”

Meanwhile, East Kent College travel to Lydd Town to play their reserve side at The Lyndsey Field next Saturday, before welcoming them at home the following weekend (2:45pm kick-off).

The Lydders are in third-place in the table with three wins and two draws from their opening six games and are ten points behind Morris’ men.

“Well the next lump of fixtures have come out and we actually have Lydd in back-to-back fixtures so it has become a huge couple of weeks,” said Morris.

“If you come out of it with six points then you have to be happy.”

Morris is also looking forward to locking horns with another new side and some familiar faces in the Kent County League this season.

He said: “Myself and Luke had a brief spell down at Faversham Town a few years back and some of the lads now are part of the Faversham Strike Force set up – they said it is a tough place to go, but we will go down there and play our own game. We will be ready!”

Meanwhile, APM Contrast’s reserves, who are currently in sixth-place in the table, are looking for a friendly match on 26 October. Please contact their first team manager Kris Browning on 07932 971 121 if you would like to fill the void.

Visit East Kent College’s website: www.ekcfc.co.uk