We've come on leaps and bounds during my six years' in charge - Sutton Athletic boss Guy Eldridge

SUTTON ATHLETIC manager Guy Eldridge says the club are making progress with their new ground in Hextable.



The club, who were formed back in 1898, currently play at Parsonage Lane, Sutton-at-Hone, but they are  moving to a site at Lower Road next season.

“It should be up and running for next season,” said 52-year-old Eldridge, who has been manager of the club for the past six years.

“The new ground is less than a mile and a half from where we are now. 

“The council here didn’t let us develop (our current ground) so we approached these and they’ve given us an area.”

Several Kent Invicta League clubs have disappointed spectators as most grounds do not have covered accommodation.

But Eldridge revealed the facilities the club’s new ground will have.

He said:  “It’s a nice pitch there, the clubhouse is nearly done.  We’ve spent £8,000 on the pitch, which starts on Monday so it’s going to be a nice, flat surface.  We try and play football so that will be nice for us.

“All the works’ nearly there.  The pitch barriers go round the week after.  Hard standing will be going around the week after.  Planning permission is in for lights and the stand so we’re going the right way.

“There will be a covered stand over the far side, probably not next season but the season after. 

“We’ve applied for the grants so hopefully they’ll come along.  We’ve got a little bit of funding we’ve got ourselves that we’ve pushed on with.  It will be a nice little neat ground.”

Eldridge first took charge of the club when they were in the Kent County League Division Two East and now they are sitting proudly in sixth-place in the Kent Invicta League, with 39 points from 24 games.

They came away from league leaders Bly Spartans with a goal-less draw on Tuesday night and they welcome Woodstock Park to Parsonage Lane on Saturday, having won their last six home games in the league.

When asked what his aspirations are for their final six league games, Eldridge, whose side are now nine games unbeaten, said: “I’d like us to go unbeaten.  I think the run that we’re on I’d like to finish the season unbeaten – win the Cup Final – and that would be a really, really good season for me.”

Sutton Athletic will be the favourites when they lock horns with University of Kent – who play two divisions lower in the Haart of Kent County League Division One – in the Kent Air Ambulance Intermediate Challenge Shield Final on 31 March.

The Final will be played at Sevenoaks Town’s Greatness Park ground and Eldridge would like to finish their campaign on a high note.

He said: “I can see us picking up points.  I think we have three at home and three away. We’ve still got Phoenix to come, Bearsted will be tough away.   I think we will win our home games.  If we get another 9-12 points, probably 15 out of them we will finish easily top six, if not higher.”

Reflecting on how far the club has come under his leadership, Eldridge said: “We’re going forward.  The club has these little plans and we’ve come on leaps and bounds.  I’ve been here six years’ now, started in the Second Division East.  Every season we’ve got promotion, stepped in this league and we’ve more than holding our own.

“We’ve come on leaps and bounds in six seasons, gone up three or four divisions.  We’re going the right way.”

When asked whether the club are looking to clinch promotion into the Kent Hurlimann Football League, the Sutton Athletic manager said: “Big question isn’t it?  We have to add a little bit more quality here and there.  We’ve added one or two each season.  If we have a full squad out there we’ll be a match for anybody.

“If everybody’s fit and raring to go, we’ll be a force next season definitely.  You never know.  If the pitch is there and it’s got to meet the grading, why not?  We can go up another division.”

Sutton Athletic  v  Woodstock Park
Kent Invicta League
Saturday 17^th March 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Roaches Recreation Ground, Parsonage Lane, Sutton at Hone, Dartford, Kent DA4 9HD