We are looking for as many Dartford fans as possible to get off to a good start, says Keith McMahon

THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon says the club are looking to get themselves off to a financial boost when newly-promoted Dartford visit Bayliss Avenue on Saturday afternoon.



Tony Burman’s Darts secured promotion into the top flight of non-league football after finishing runners-up to Woking in Blue Square Bet (Conference South) last season and beating Basingstoke Town and Welling United in the play-offs.

McMahon and Burman are close friends off the pitch and the visit of the Conference Premier outfit will bring a much-needed boost to the coffers of the Ryman League Division One North club.

McMahon has already unveiled six summer signings in the shape of Rob Budd, Ross Lover, Quentin Conteh, Oliver Poole, Emmanuel Osei and Rob Carter.

He has retained the services of Richard Butler, Lewis Tozer, Lea Dawson, Ashley Probets, Danny Penny, Jack Hopkins, James Donovan, Chuck Duru, Rikki Cable and Danny Kerrigan.

Reflecting on pre-season so far, McMahon said: “It’s been excellent to be honest. We started on 3 July and we’ve had five sessions and it’s been excellent so far and we’ve had good numbers.

“We’ve signed 90% of the squad and I’ve made five new signings. We’re trying to get things done early so we can all settle down for when the games start.”

The visit of Dartford will give McMahon’s squad a good fitness test.

“A very big test,” added the Mead boss.  “They’re a Conference side and they’ve been good to us. They’re local to us.  It’s the test you want to get to know the players you’ve got.

McMahon added: “Me and Tony are friends anyway. We know when they were struggling for grounds we used to let their reserves groundshare with us for a few years’ and they’re a great club with some really nice people who we get on with and they’re enjoying their success and deservedly so.”

When asked how he is treating his side’s opening warm-up outing, McMahon replied, “I’m not a great lover of putting two sides out. We will have a few trailists but we will treat it seriously. It’s our first game so I can’t put a fairly strong squad out as we’ve got a couple away.

“We have to look at a couple of players’ as well and it gives me a chance to look at formations. Like Dartford we’ll take it very seriously. It is pre-season.  The fitness is the most important.  It’s a game of football.  It’s better than not playing at all, but it’s a situation where there’s a lot of changes in the games and stop and start and players need games and they’re better than the actual training sessions.”

McMahon hopes the Darts faithful turn out in force on Saturday afternoon.

He added: “That’s the idea of the game. We are looking for as many as possible to get off to a good start. Hopefully the weather will hold and it will stop raining and people will come and watch.”

Visit Thamesmead Town’s website: www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk  

Thamesmead Town  v  Dartford
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 14^th July 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London SE28 8NJ