We know it's going to be a difficult season ahead, warns Cugley

Had it not been for a ten-point penalty reduction in March, then Folkestone Invicta would have clinched the title with 92 points, but they had to settle for promotion via the play-off’s, with home wins over Leatherhead and Godalming Town.

The club reported back for pre-season training at the weekend, and Cugley unveiled the signing of midfielder, Robbie Kember, who arrives from Blue Square Bet South outfit Bromley.

“We’re pleased to get him,” Cugley told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“We were desperate for a midfielder with a bit of quality and experience, obviously with Jacko (Jimmy Jackson) retiring.

“He’s a different sort of player (than Jackson) to be fair, but he will be in our midfield.  In training on Saturday, he looked quality, something that we need, so I’m very pleased to get him.

The 28-year-old has vast experience, and his previous clubs include Crystal Palace, Woking, Crawley Town, Eastbourne Borough, Tonbridge Angels and Hampton & Richmond Borough.

Cugley added: “To be fair, Allan Tait told me about him.  Even though he lives in Whyteleafe, Surrey, he works in north Kent, so it was a little bit easier to get him.”

Cugley lost two strikers during the close season, Peter Williams and Brendon Cass, who have opted for moves to Ashford Town and Hythe Town.

“Everybody that we wanted to sign has signed, so no problems there,” added Cugley.

“The other two were in and out of the side a little bit.  Brendon is a proven goalscorer at that level and the level above and he should do well down at Hythe and I wish him the best.

“I don’t think he would have done it in the Ryman Premier to be honest.  I think it will be difficult for him (had he stayed), with his work and everything.  It all sort of fell into place for both parties.”

Speaking about the club’s first training session, the Folkestone boss revealed: “We went back on Saturday with around 20 players, so I’m pleased with that.

“I’ve got a few people to look at, the squad players, the fourteen that’s in the squad, plus two or three trailisits and two or three younger lads, so it was quite good.

“I was quite pleased with the fitness levels.  I don’t think players let themselves go at all now, they’re as good as gold now.  In the old days we all went to holiday and came back with a pot belly and you ran it off!”

“We’ve got seven weeks (until the season starts), so we’ve got a long way to go.”

Cugley will once again run with a tiny squad and he warned fans that the season could be one of struggle.

“At the moment it’s 13 that I’ve got, I will be hoping to get it up for 14 and maybe bring one on loan,” said Cugley.

“It’s going to be a small squad.  There’s nothing I can do about that.  We’ll just do our best as I always said we would.

“It’s going to be difficult, we know that.  We don’t pretend to be aiming for the top half (of the table) or anything.  We know it’s going to be a difficult season for us. 

“We have to work very hard and learn very quickly, otherwise it will be a long season, but the players proved me wrong last year.  I didn’t think we were good enough to win the league, or get promotion with the most number of points last season, I didn’t think we had the capabilities to do that.

“I still question them to do that in the Ryman Premier, so hopefully they can prove me wrong again!

“To be fair, if we can stay in the Ryman Premier after one year I don’t see why Folkestone shouldn’t be a Ryman Premier League side eventually as we get things sorted out.”

Folkestone Invicta must pay £800 per month to pay off their Company Voluntary Arrangement and Cugley has his hands tied behind his back when it comes to strengthening his squad.

“It’s an important year, maybe it’s a year too soon,” he said.  “But you can’t say no to things like that.  You have to take the risks and go up and hopefully stay up and I think we can build from that.

“The chairman’s put budget restrictions on me and a maximum wage on players and things like that, which makes it difficult for me, but I can understand his reasoning for it.  It’s how he wants to run the club and who am I to argue?

“We can’t go into the situation of the past, financially we seem rather sound now.  We’re having work done on the pitch and work done on the changing rooms and physio room and basically we are trying to move the club forward.

“This time last year we honestly didn’t even know we were going to be in the league – we we’re talking about all sort of league’s this time last year – so a year later it’s quite pleasing to see things are progressing.

“Luckily enough we got back to training, we started the season and things worked out beyond everyone’s expectations, so hopefully we can have another good season this year.”

“I don’t think there will be much more than 14 players, Maybe we can bring someone on loan early on when you’ve got a lot of games.

“We’ve got an honest bunch of lads, with a good team spirit and I'll keep our fingers crossed that will be good enough.”