We're still quite confident we can install artificial pitch, says Sevenoaks Town boss Paul Lansdale

SEVENOAKS TOWN manager Paul Lansdale says the club still has plans to install an artificial pitch at Greatness Park.

The club announced in December 2013 initial plans to convert the main pitch into a state of the art 4G artificial pitch and replace the clubhouse with a significantly better facility to cope with the growing demands on Greatness Park due to both football and the increasing community use.

An integral part of the plans included improving the overall aesthetics of the park with the introduction of an outdoor gym, a better play park and a grass-crete car park.

“We’re still progressing the project,” said Lansdale, who is also the club’s chairman.

“We’re still quite confident that will happen.  It clearly won’t be next season, but we’re still quite confident that we can pull that off.

“I think it’s essential for the whole club.  We need to change our changing room facilities as well.  We’re still pushing on with it.

“Clearly funding is the big hurdle but we feel confident that over the next couple of seasons we should be in a position to push that on and launch that so that’s looking good as well.”

Meanwhile, back on the pitch, it’s been a season of struggle for Lansdale and his young squad.

The club are second-from-bottom in the Southern Counties East Football League table with a playing record of 5 wins, 5 draws and 19 league defeats.

The Oaks are, however, seven points clear of the team at the foot of the table, Woodstock Sports.

Sevenoaks Town travel to seventh-placed Phoenix Sports on Easter Saturday, before welcoming third-placed Tunbridge Wells to Greatness Park on Easter Monday (3pm).

They complete their campaign with a trip to fourth-placed Erith Town on 26 April.

“They’re going to be really tough games for us, really, really tough,” said Lansdale.

“We will work very hard. We’ll set our stall out.  I know they will do their best to deliver the best performance they can. 

“It’s difficult to set targets to be fair but every game we go into we’re determined to get something out from it.

“Luck one day will go our way and hopefully we’ll pull through.”

Reflecting on his first game in charge of the first team, Lasdale admits it’s been tough for everyone involved.

“It’s been tough. It’s been difficult,” he said.

“Clearly we didn’t set out to be where we are.  We were certainly hoping to be three or four places higher, if not mid-table.  Things just haven’t gone our way for a number of different reasons but we’re positive we are moving forward.

“We feel we’ve got a great squad and if we can keep them together, we’ve got a lot of youngsters in our team and if we keep them together we feel the future’s bright.

“We’re not here to win leagues and win cups this season – that was never on the cards – but what we wanted to do was give these lads a chance to experience men’s football and then next year they’ll be more experienced and have a bitter understanding how the game’s played and we’ll push on, I’m sure of that.”

Lasdale added: “I’ve spent my time in youth football for years and years. It’s a big culture shock for players stepping up from under 18s.  They needed experienced players around them and we’re starting to build a nucleus of experienced players to help the youngsters.

“I think for some of them the step has been a bit too far and they need to come back down to the under 21s, which is what we’re launching next year to try to help their development so when time moves on we can start introducing them to the first team again.”

Sevenoaks Town expect to attract their largest crowd of the season at Greatness Park when Martin Larkin brings his Tunbridge Wells side on Monday afternoon.

Last season’s Kent Senior Trophy winners and FA Vase Finalists travel to second-placed Ashford United tomorrow and are ten points adrift of league leaders Whyteleafe, who could potentially seal the crown when they host Ashford United to Church Road on Monday.

“Looking forward to that,” said Lansdale ahead of the big local derby.

“It’s going to be a great game.  It will be a big crowd hopefully.

“It’s a good chance for our boys to show what they can do being a local derby.  I’m sure they’ll raise their performance and give it absolutely everything that they’ve got and it should be a really good game.”

Visit Sevenoaks Town’s website:  www.sevenoakstownfc.co.uk

Phoenix Sports  v  Sevenoaks Town
Southern Counties East Football League
Easter Saturday 19^th April 2014
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Mayplace Road East, Barnehurst, Kent DA7 6JT