We're not going to make the numbers up in the league, says Holmesdale coach Ross Mitchell

HOLMESDALE coach Ross Mitchell says the club’s aspirations are to finish a lot higher than third-from-bottom this season.


The Bromley-based outfit welcome Cray Valley (Paper Mills) to Oakley Road on Saturday for their opening Southern Counties East Football League game of the season.

Steve Chapman’s side are tipped to have a successful campaign this time around and Mitchell wants his side to pull off an opening day win.

“The pressures on them to win,” said Mitchell after The Dalers came from 2-0 down to beat their Southern Amateur League neighbours West Wickham 5-3 last night.

Mitchell added: “They’ve signed a few, if you want, big names, if there’s such a thing in the Kent League. The pressure’s on them to win.

“We go into the game full of confidence. We expect to win ourselves but we’re putting no pressure on ourselves to win as such. We’re just going to go out and play our game. If we get a good result and performance to go with that then brilliant.”

Holmesdale have re-vamped their management team this season with Paul Proctor and John-Paul Collier named as joint-managers, central defender Marc Cumberbatch taking on the player-assistant manager role with Mitchell once again coaching the keepers, as well as keeping the important role of club secretary.

The management team are looking for the club to progress this season with a younger side and they go into their opening game full of confidence.

Holmesdale suffered defeats in their opening four friendlies, against Erith & Belvedere (2-3), Orpington (2-4), Dulwich Hamlet (0-4) and Sutton Athletic (1-2).

But they sealed morale-boosting wins over The Skrill South (Conference South) sides Tonbridge Angels and Bromley (both 2-1), before winning an eight-goal thriller against West Wickham last night.

“We’ve got JP and Cumbers, who are in there not to make the numbers up in the league,” insisted Mitchell.

“They’ve made it quite clear to us and as a management team we’ve made it quite clear to ourselves what we want to do.

“We’ll be disappointed if we’re in and around that (bottom) area this year. I don’t think it’s right to set hard and fast expectations with what we want to do. We know internally what we want and we set them. There’s no point shouting out from the roof tops.”

Mitchell added: “We’re not a club that flashes money around on players, we don’t believe in that. We are trying to build something for the future and build that with younger players around us and if we can do that within a short space that we’ve set out internally then brilliant, but we’re certainly here for the long run and if we can progress, brilliant.

“We’ve progressed off the field definitely and we’ve definitely progressed on the field and we’re really pleased with the way things are going.”

Holmesdale have agreed a groundshare deal with Glebe, who have been elected in to the Kent Invicta League and they play their first game at Oakley Road next Tuesday when Eltham Palace visit.

When asked about Holmesdale’s relationship with their new tenants – who have moved in after Greenwich Borough’s three year deal expired at the end of last season – Mitchell said: “Same as with Greenwich really. We have a good relationship with Glebe, clear communication lines. We understand that’s their first season so if we have to support them in any way we can we will, a bit like we were with Greenwich, always supportive and so far so good with Glebe.”

Only 25 people watched last night’s final friendly against West Wickham, which was not surprising as higher-league neighbours Bromley and their tenants Cray Wanderers were playing over at Hayes Lane.

Holmesdale would certainly attract larger crowds if they play on different nights than Bromley and Cray Wanderers – or kick-off before 12:30pm to attract floating fans on Saturday’s if fixtures clash.

Visit Holmesdale’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/holmesdalefc

Holmesdale  v Cray Valley (Paper Mills)
Southern Counties East Football League
Saturday 10^th August 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
At 68 Oakley Road, Bromley, Kent BR2 8HQ