We need to start dragging in the fans, says Thamesmead Town boss Keith McMahon

THAMESMEAD TOWN manager Keith McMahon says he might be forced to start grabbing people by the scruff of the neck in the street to watch his side play at Bayliss Avenue.



The Mead boss works miracles to get a side out on to the pitch to play some nice attractive football but attracting crowds to watch has been a long-term problem for the club.

They are in seventh-place in the Ryman League Division One North table, with 12 wins and three draws from their 21 league games and are only one point behind fifth-placed Potters Bar Town, who occupy the final play-off berth.

The club have attracted a total of 956 supporters through their turnstiles in 20 home games this season, averaging only 48.

Their largest crowd was when 73 fans watched the local derby against Blue Square Bet (Conference) South Welling United in a London Senior Cup fixture back in November.

Such more figures has put the club in a financial mess and McMahon revealed he has a good working relationship with Paul Bowden-Brown, the former chairman of Maidstone United and Ashford United, who has the role of company secretary.

McMahon said: ”Paul Bowden-Brown, behind the scenes has been working really, really hard with me and he’s been doing loads of things and he needs a lot of credit what’s going on here as well as structuring the club with me.

”I needed a lot of help. He’s got his ideas as much as me. Hopefully if we keep winning people will turn up. If not we’ve survived on what we’re doing so we’ll carry on.”

McMahon hopes moving into their over-due facilities will entice more people to come through the turnstiles.

”People believe we will get people through the gate, it may well do, showing there is an actual football club in Thamesmead, there’s still a lot of people that don’t know, apart from dragging them by the scruff of the neck and dragging them in.”

McMahon provided the latest regarding the project that is now three years overdue.
 
He said: “It’s all done inside.  All the bar’s have been fitted. We’re training over there (on the 3g pitch).  The power’s going to be all switched on in the second week of February and we should be in there two weeks after and then this place (the current clubhouse) comes down and the dreaded car park gets done.

”It’s been a nightmare. It’s been long. I don’t know how we’ve carried on to be honest.  Not a lot of clubs have had to put up with what we’ve had to put up with, but we have and we’ve stuck together, not just the team spirit of the players, but also the committee. They need a massive, massive pat on the back as well.  They are a part of us and they’re working tirelessly hard behind the scenes as well.

”We’re a massive club together, we stick up for each other and we stick together and hopefully we will all achieve what we want to achieve together.”

McMahon spoke about the team spirit at the club and hope that plays a part in his promotion bid.

”We’ve always had great team spirit here at Thamesmead,” he said.

”This year is no exception. We’re all together.  A lot of people could go and play elsewhere for a lot of money.  They love it here. They want to progress.

”You can see we’re just over a month away from moving into the building so they can see what’s trying to happen here.

”Hopefully we can cap it off and have a great end to the season. If we did make the play-offs it will be unbelievable for a club like ours.

”If we get promoted, people say how would you survive in the Ryman Premier? We’re not thinking that but if we did get there – unbelievable!”

Thamesmead Town are scheduled to play Brentwood Town at home on Tuesday night, subject to the weather, followed by another home game, against Wroxham next Saturday.

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

Thamesmead Town  v Brentwood Town
Ryman League Division One North
Tuesday 22^nd January 2013
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London SE28 8NJ