Tunbridge Wells boss Jason Bourne: I will act in the best interest of the club and look to promote players that will die to pull our shirt on for the first team

TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Jason Bourne says he’s keeping patient with the younger players in his squad.

The Wells were dumped out of The Buildbase FA Vase First Round by Combined Counties League side Abbey Rangers,suffering a disappointing 3-0 defeat in Surrey last weekend.

“There were comparisons to last years’ Vase exit to Knaphill but one was a team at the end of their journey and the other was a team at the beginning of it.  There is no comparison,” said Bourne, who was captain when the club reached the Final under Martin Larkin on 4 May 2013.

“Once again thanks for the unbelievable support on the road at Abbey Rangers, which deserved a better performance but that’s football at any level and it always important to remember that no team without either heavy investment or patience and nurturing of young players is ever built.”

Tunbridge Wells are struggling in the bottom three in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table having won two, drawn three of their 10 league outings.  The Wells are only a couple of points above basement side Fisher and Bourne takes his side to fourth-placed Sheppey United tomorrow.

“After a disappointing exit in The FA Vase last week, we must now go again for the league game away to Sheppey,” he said.

“I am happy with my squad, but will look to bring an experienced player in this week but unfortunately we’re very light in that department.

“Any team at this level would miss Perry Spackman (who picked up an injury in the warm-up), Tom Bryant (injured after 10 minutes), Ryan Crandley (hamstring) and Josh Biddlecombe (suspended), along with the loss of Jason Barton the previous Monday to Crowborough, which did not leave us seven days to approach a replacement.

“In the squad we have very capable young players coming through that will be gently brought through and we will bear the fruits of that process.

“We must all remember when Jon Pilbeam, Jack Harris, Josh Stanford and even Alex Flisher at Maidstone all sat on the bench waiting to get a chance at 17-18 years old.  It was not until they were 20 that the club saw the best of them.

“This crop will have the same patience showed in them slowly and when senior players are out they will step in.

“We will look to improve at every training session and at every game and we as a club will cut out cloth accordingly.”

Bourne would die playing for his home-town club and has challenged his players to show the same desire at Sheppey tomorrow.

“I will act in the best interest of the club and look to promote players that will die to pull our shirt on for the first team and not be the highest bidder for players that will leave for extra money elsewhere.”

Visit Tunbridge Wells’ website: www.tunbridgewellsfc.com

Sheppey United  v  Tunbridge Wells
Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 29^th October 2016
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Holm Park, Queenborough Road, Sheerness, Kent ME12 3DB