The top half of the table will be a success for us, says Corinthian boss Tony Sitford

CORINTHIAN boss Tony Sitford says he is aiming for a top half finish in the Kent Hurlimann Football League this season, writes Stephen McCartney.


The Longfield based club are preparing for their third season at this level, after finishing in the bottom five last term.

Corinthian begin their new league campaign at home to Greenwich Borough next Saturday and Sitford says he will send someone to watch Gerry Cox’s side play Leatherhead at Oakley Road on Tuesday night, ahead of the Gay Dawn Farm clash.

Corinthian then travel to Sevenoaks Town on Wednesday, 17^th August, and that game will be given some added spice as Sitford has enticed goalkeeper Dan Bygraves, midfielder Joe Minter and striker Richie Stevens from Greatness Park.

Sitford also revealed that James Lyons has also joined the club, although goalkeeper Jack Rankin has signed for the artist formerly known as Norton Sports, Woodstock Sports.

When asked how pre-season has gone, Sitford said: “It’s gone very well.  I’m very pleased.  We’ve worked hard, got fairly fit and we’ve had some good results, so yes, we’re very pleased.”

When asked what his four new signings will add to the club, Sitford simply replied, “Quality!  They are very good players, good on the ball, strong.”

Sitford wants improvement from his young side, who have been tipped by many to be in the higher bracket after some impressive pre-season results.

He said: “Last year we finished up very poorly, obviously after a certain incident at the club.  We just want to finish top half of the table.  We want to do a lot better than we did last year and finish in the top half.

“Up until eight or nine games from the end when we were in the top half and then we let ourselves down after a certain incident happened at the club and everybody went into their shells.”

Sitford kept tight-lipped when asked what the “certain incident” at the club was, saying, “Just a little incident at the club – and (the players) went into their shells and didn’t concentrate playing.”

Greenwich Borough appear to be re-building their squad as their entire management team left in the summer to join Fisher, and have invited familiar faces with them to Champion Hill.

Cox has returned to the club as manager and he will be assisted by former Horsham YMCA boss, John Cumberbatch, who has previously managed Ashford Town.

“We expect every game we play, we want to do well and we want to play good football and win a game -  and they’re saying the same thing,” said Sitford.

“If they’ve got a game on Tuesday, we’ll obviously have someone there to watch them, yes.

“We’ve got a game Saturday and a game (the following) Wednesday at Sevenoaks away and I understand they’ve got a lot of new players as well.

“We’re very pleased.  We’ve got some very good players no, very good players.  We just hope to enjoy the season, that’s what the aims are, to go out and enjoy and do as well as we can.

“We’re not under any pressure to win the league – we’d love to win it, of course.  Every team would want to win it.  Our main priority is to bring these youngsters on and get into the top half of the league – that’s a success to us.”

Corinthian  v  Greenwich Borough
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Saturday 13^th August 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Gay Dawn Farm, Valley Road, Longfield, Kent DA3 8LY