We can't afford to go up, says Cugley

Monday 26th April 2010

FOLKESTONE INVICTA boss Neil Cugley says his club cannot afford to clinch promotion via the Ryman League Division One South play-off’s this week, writes Stephen McCartney.

Invicta collected 28 wins and 8 draws from their 42 league games - but the club were deducted 10 points by the Football Association for falling into a Company Voluntary Arrangement at the end of February.

As a result, big-spending Croydon Athletic snatched the league title after the goal-less draw at Cheriton Road in the penultimate game of the season, snatching the title by seven points.

Folkestone Invicta slipped to second place and now look forward to a visit from fifth-place Leatherhead in the semi-finals of the play-off’s on Tuesday night.

It is the first time that the Kent club have experienced the play-off’s, but Cugley, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk today, says he is sweating over the fitness of five-key players.

“There’s about five of them, I think, that need tests or check outs before the game,” said Cugley.

“I’ve got Josh Vincent, who didn’t start (on Saturday) as he’s got a bad groin; James Everitt’s got a swollen knee; Jimmy Jackson’s got a bad back; Olly Bartrum started and came off at half-time with a groin injury; Jack Delo’s got a foot injury - and Liam Dickson suffered an ankle injury in the warm-up.”

Cugley was disappointed that his side were defeated by Corinthian-Casuals in their final game of their league campaign - a game settled by Ali Wiltshire’s looping shot in the first half at Cheriton Road on Saturday.

It was Folkestone’s third game in five days and their sixth in the last 12 days and this took it’s toll.

“Very poor, it’s maybe the worse we’ve seen us play for a long, long time,” said Cugley. “I think with the games on Tuesday and Thursday and going into extra time, obviously we had injuries and people had to come off, it was just one of those disappointing games.

“We had our presentation do in the evening so we were hoping to win and go into that with a bit more better spirits, shall we say.

“It has been a long old season for a lot of the players and it did show Saturday that we did play on the Thursday.

“We have got a small squad and that doesn’t help really. What our lads have achieved is unbelievable really so we’ve got to be pleased we’re in there.

“A lot of teams will want to swap places with us. We could have actually been sitting here and not looking forward to these (play-off) games and looking forward to the Kent Senior Cup Final (instead).”

Cugley insisted that the people that sent the club into financial ruin should be punished - and not the heroic players out on the pitch.

Speaking about the points deduction, Cugley said: “It’s one of those things I don’t think it’s right.

“It’s got nothing to do with me, the players or the fans. At the time the club got it’s finances wrong and it’s a shame that the only way they can do things is to hit the football side of things, which is a shame really.”

Looking ahead to their semi-final play-off against Leatherhead - a side that have lost only two games since the beginning of February - Cugley admits it’s going to be a tough ask for his side to progress to Saturday’s final - against Worthing or Godalming Town.

“I don’t think the nerves will hit us really,” said Cugley. “We’d never thought we’d do this well anyway so it’s not the be all or end all for the club if we do go up or don’t go up.

“I think Leatherhead are a very good side, they’re on a hell of a run since after Christmas right through. They’ve won the Ryman League Cup as well. I think they’re a good side with some very good forwar4ds and a good squad and it will be very hard to beat them.

“We’ll go out and try and enjoy it and try to win. If we don’t win there will be no moaning from me.

“Technically, I’ve said before, we’ve won the league anyway in my eyes and it’s a great thing for them.”

Cugley believes his club cannot afford to clinch promotion into the Ryman Premier League with a restricted playing budget.

“We’ve had a great season,” said Cugley. “For us to technically get the most points in the league is beyond belief really and what will be, will be, now.

“We’re not in the situation where we had to go up or we had to do this. If we go up, we go up. If we don’t, we don’t. Nothing will change our club.

“I will still be proud, more than proud really.

“I don’t think we’re in the situation of paying any more money. I know we’re not! We have to go with what we’ve got. We’ve not got a big enough squad. If it happens, it happens. We’ll wait and see. If it happens we’ll get on with it.”

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Folkestone Invicta v Leatherhead

Ryman League Division One South Play-Off Semi-Final

Tuesday 27th April 2010

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5JU