02:11:09With the dawn of a new Chatham Town FC season now just 24 hours away, boss Paul Foley has been sharing his thoughts with us on the challenges that lie ahead, his thoughts on the pre seasons fixtures that were announced on Wednesday.

Beginning with the pre season, Paul told us, ‘We have a good run of games to really look at a few things and I make no excuses for that. We need to see the lads that have stayed on from last year over a decent collection of minutes as I know the ones that have joined from VCD obviously. The first few games are predominantly part of the fitness process that we have been going through over the last couple of weeks so I won’t be reading too much into them results wise but we will be looking at how all of the lads are fitness wise and how they will fit in to the best starting eleven when the season starts. We have started the last three seasons with the simple rule that if you are not fully fit no matter who you are, you don’t start the season in the starting eleven. When we get to the last few friendlies against Welling, Ebbsfleet, Maidstone and Folkestone we should be getting near optimum fitness and we will need to be ready against these four who all play in higher leagues. I am pleased to welcome another player on board this week in Kane Rice who has been training with Welling United for the last few weeks. Circumstances at Welling have changed as I understand and although Kane had a injury last season at VCD that restricted him to a handful of games, he is all ok now and he will be a valuable asset for us here as he was at VCD. He can play in a number of positions and with his pace, determination, strength and eye for goal, he will only add to the options we already have in the squad.’

Like everyone within the club, Paul was delighted with the news that we would after all be playing in Ryman One South this season. He told chathamtownfc.net “Despite the unfortunate circumstances that surround our placement in the Ryman South, I am delighted for the club first and foremost as it meant a lot for the club to stay in the South. It is just unfortunate how it came about and in losing Ashford from the league we are obviously losing a Kent club and a Kent derby from the season ahead. As I said before from a football perspective it did not make much difference to us on the playing side as there were advantages and disadvantages in going into either the North or the South. The advantages for the club as a whole though are obvious and we will benefit from an improved average gate I am sure and we will have the added incentive of those Kent derbies against Ramsgate, Whitstable, Sittingbourne and now Faversham Town. It will be interesting for the lads who competed in the Ryman North last year to see how they fare in the South and it will be interesting to see how we fare against the club’s last season in the South. Playing against old adversaries at the Kent clubs and my old boss Jim Ward at Ramsgate will also add some interest to the season so there is plenty for me and the lads to look forward to. The drawbacks versus competing in the North are that we are back to where we were last season when we were going into games without much knowledge of our opponents but we will soon get up to speed as we did last year so I don’t see a major problem there. We may have to be a little more conservative in our own targets behind the dressing room door though as we were all very optimistic about our chances in the North, had we played in that league this year even with the tough additions of Grays, Needham Market and Sudbury this season.”

“Having seen the fixtures there are some that are particularly eye catching with an opening fixture at home against Corinthian Casuals. We played them last year (at VCD) in the FA Cup at their place and we managed to get a win and some prize money which is a good omen for us. We then have our first Kent Derby only two games later against Jim’s Ramsgate. This will be the first competitive game against Jim as a manager and that will be an interesting game for both of us I’m sure. Jim’s record as a manager over the last ten years plus is as good as anyone around and, as a player, I had some great times winning trophies during six seasons at Ramsgate and Maidstone United under Jim. We still talk regularly on the phone but come 30^th August Bank Holiday we will both want to put one over the other as we are both love to win games of football. I will be making sure that Jim has plenty of cheese sandwiches laid on in the dressing room before the game as I know cheese does not agree with him!!

In September we have two more Kent derbies, away to Sittingbourne and then home to newly promoted Faversham. All of these games will be tough but these are the games we want to be involved with rather than away to Ilford on a Tuesday night, no offence. We know Faversham fairly well from our time in the Kent League and I am not surprised they won the KL last year as they were very close the year we won it. I think they will surprise a few this year as they have some decent players that have been at that level before while Justin and Clive have them well drilled. Sittingbourne had a very good season last year and will be looking to make a real push for the top spots this season I’m sure. These two games are against our nearest rivals so they will always carry some interest with ex players and so on. New Year’s day away to Ramsgate has helped organise my social diary as I will have to get some tickets to the New Years Eve party at the Southwood Tavern and stop over! It will be an interesting and exciting season for us and I am really looking forward to the new challenges ahead. It doesn’t affect our preparations with the squad as such but we will be gathering information on the sides we have to play between now and 21^st August.”

And so we know at last – it’s the Casuals!

After waiting for what seems an eternity for the 2010/2011 Ryman League fixtures to be published, they have finally been so this lunchtime, and Paul Foley’s first league game in charge of the Chats will be a home game against CORINTHIAN CASUALS on Saturday August 21^st.

We follow that up with a tough looking midweek trip to MERSTHAM, before (subject to an FA Cup replay) welcoming Jim Ward and RAMSGATE to the Maidstone Road Sports Ground (MRSG) on August Bank Holiday Monday!

We visit our old friends SITTINGBOURNE on Tuesday 21^st September (with the return fixture on Tuesday 23^rd November), whilst newly promoted Kent League Champions FAVERSHAM TOWN visit the MRSG on Tuesday 28^th September with the return at Salters Lane on Tuesday 9^th November.

Indeed the only Saturday home Kent derby we have is against WHITSTABLE TOWN on 22^nd January… whilst our Christmas and Easter fixtures could in all honesty have been better!  EASTBOURNE TOWN provide the Christmas Holiday fixture at the MRSG whilst we travel to the Sussex coast on Easter Monday – and lets not forget that could be an important game given that Easter this season is the penultimate week of the season.

And don’t worry about the hang over on New Years Day – it can get blown away at RAMSGATE!

The full list is published below – with all home fixtures in bold.

Don’t forget the Chats pre season starts in earnest on Saturday with a trip to face HERNE BAY at the Safety Net Stadium – kick off is at 3:00pm

CHATHAM TOWN FC - RYMAN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH 2010/2011

Sat Aug 21 Corinthian-Casuals H

Tue Aug 24 Merstham A

Sat Aug 28 Mole Valley SCR or Chertsey Town (FAC Preliminary Round)

Mon Aug 30 Ramsgate H

Sat Sep 4 Walton Casuals A

Tue Sep 7 Dulwich Hamlet H

Sat Sep 11 FAC First Round Qualifying

Sat Sep 18 Bognor Regis Town A

Tue Sep 21 Sittingbourne A

Sat Sep 25 Walton & Hersham H or FAC Second Round Qualifying

Tue Sep 28 Faversham Town H

Sat Oct 2 Redbridge A (FAT Preliminary Round)

Sat Oct 9 Godalming Town A or FAC Third Round Qualifying

Sat Oct 16 FAT First Round Qualifying

Sat Oct 23 Leatherhead H or FAC Fourth Round Qualifying

Tue Oct 26 Whyteleafe A

Sat Oct 30 Metropolitan Police A or FAT Second Round Qualifying

Sat Nov 6 Burgess Hill Town H or FAC First Round Proper

Tue Nov 9 Faversham Town A

Sat Nov 13 Godalming Town H

Sat Nov 20 Walton & Hersham A or FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying

Tue Nov 23 Sittingbourne H

Sat Nov 27 Fleet Town H

Sat Dec 4 Worthing A

Sat Dec 11 Whitehawk A or FAT First Round Proper

Sat Dec 18 Chipstead H

Mon Dec 27 Eastbourne Town H

Sat Jan 1 Ramsgate A

Sat Jan 8 Merstham H

Sat Jan 15 Corinthian-Casuals A

Sat Jan 22 Whitstable Town H

Sat Jan 29 Horsham YMCA A

Sat Feb 5 Leatherhead A

Sat Feb 12 Whyteleafe H

Sat Feb 19 Burgess Hill Town A

Sat Feb 26 Metropolitan Police H

Sat Mar 5 Fleet Town A

Sat Mar 12 Worthing H

Sat Mar 19 Chipstead A

Sat Mar 26 Whitehawk H

Sat Apr 2 Horsham YMCA H

Sat Apr 9 Whitstable Town A

Sat Apr 16 Dulwich Hamlet A

Sat Apr 23 Walton Casuals H

Mon Apr 25 Eastbourne Town A

Sat Apr 30 Bognor Regis Town H

The club has received official confirmation from the Ryman Football League that we will after all be playing in Ryman League Division One SOUTH – no that’s not a mistake, Division One South – when the season begins on August 21^st.

In a statement issued on the League website this lunchtime, the League have announced the following

“At a Board Meeting this morning the Directors of the League were disappointed to receive the resignation of Ashford Town FC from the League with immediate effect.

The Board has taken the opportunity to move Chatham Town FC from Division One North to the South division to replace Ashford Town.

Ashford wish to move to the Kent League and the League will not object to this providing all monies due to the League are paid.

The League hope to issue the fixture list for both divisions during tomorrow, Wednesday 21 July.”

Whilst everyone at Maidstone Road is delighted at the news, it is obviously very disappointing that we have been moved back into the Division that we should be at the expense of our friends from Homelands and wish them well in whatever they do, and hope to meet them again in the Ryman League soon…

We’ll have Paul’s reaction to this later in the day, but we can confirm the news that we could have only dreamed of is true – CHATHAM TOWN WILL PLAY IN RYMAN ONE SOUTH THIS COMING SEASON!

With just a week to go before the Chats first pre season friendly (away to Kent League runners up Herne Bay), new boss Paul Foley has been talking to the official website about how training has gone so far.

Paul told us, “Preseason training is going well with five sessions under our belt now and the squad is taking shape and we have 20 lads that have been training with us.”

Turning his attention to the latest player movements from last season’s squad, Paul said, “Rob Denness was invited to train with Sittingbourne and Ashley Probets was invited to Dartford.  I am expecting both of these lads to sign for both clubs but they both know that they are welcome back if it does not work out for one reason or another.  The same goes for Justin Ascheri has been approached by a couple of clubs also.”

Paul continued, “I had a long chat with Ray Powell who we had at VCD and I have agreed to give him a call back when I know how the squad is shaping up.  Ben Payne completed three sessions with us but he was up front about an approach from Erith Town last week and we had a chat on Saturday at our Greenwich Park session where I suggested he should give it a couple of weeks by which time we would be playing our first friendlies as we are not overloaded with centre half options, with Gary Cook suspended for 4 games at the start of the season.  Ben agreed when we spoke but on reflection felt that he would be guaranteed games at Erith Town who are clearly gearing up for a challenge at the Kent League title.  I would have preferred him to stay and made that quite clear but I fully respect his decision.”

“It is always difficult when players do not necessarily know a manager that well as that trust takes some time to build up, the fact of the matter is our policy is no-one is guaranteed spots no matter who they are and every player gets a fair crack in the side. If you do well enough to stay in, you are in and that fair policy is a big reason why the majority of lads have joined from VCD. They know that we are straight with them and they all buy into that selection policy. The lads that have stayed on may take a while to get to that level of trust but on the evidence of what I have seen so far, they will be valuable assets to the squad and key members for the season ahead.  Matt Solly, Brad Potter, Ryan Laker, Michael Scott and Ryan Restell have been to all of the sessions so far. Anthony Hogg’s younger brother Jon who has been with Redhill has been to the last two sessions and he can play either at right back or centre half and was a very good youth prospect at Maidstone when I played there. There is one experienced and proven forward too who is keen to come down and I will be speaking to him this week before inviting him down to train.”

Looking ahead to August 21st, Paul said, “We will be looking to sign 20 players as the core first team squad (as we have every year) and we will also be looking at the young players coming through from the U18s who, on the assessments I have received within the club, are very good prospects. All in all the squad is looking in good shape with plenty of options available for the season ahead and it has gone better than I could of hoped for really. With three more sessions taking us up to eight before we play our first friendly at Herne Bay we should be on the way with our fitness heading into a succession of good friendlies to get the match sharpness back.”

Just a reminder that the club is now not expecting to be informed of the new season’s fixtures until Monday or Tuesday of next week at the earliest… 

The saga over the announcement (or not) of the new season’s Ryman League fixtures shows no sign this evening of resolving itself, as Paul Foley still waits to see who his first competitive opponents will be when the new season begins on August 21^st.

You will recall that the initial announcement was delayed from Wednesday of this week due to Grays Athletic appeal to the FA over where they will play this season.

Today (Thursday) following a meeting at Wembley, the Ryman League have announced that an agreement has been reached with Grays Athletic FC and East Thurrock United FC for Grays Athletic to play at East Thurrock's ground for the next 2 seasons.

Consequently the League has now agreed to admit Grays Athletic to Division One North of the Ryman League for next season.

The announcement goes on, “This agreement is subject to certain conditions one of which is the approval of the FA Leagues Committee which meets on Friday afternoon. Subject to that approval the fixtures for the Premier Division will be issued at 5pm tomorrow. The fixtures for the Step 4 divisions will be issued as soon as possible next week.”

And so the wait continues… now into at least next week!