The Kent Non-League Football Podcast

Kent Non-League Podcast - Episode 310

With Matt sunning himself on holiday, non-league programme columnist, blogger, podcaster and Kentish Man Trevor Knell sits in for a bumper show after another brilliant weekend of football. Rochester United came back from 3-0 down on their way to an FA Vase upset at Lordswood and their boss Matt Hume reflects on that comeback, explains what he said at half-time and discusses the SCEFL Division One season so far. There's a new man in charge at Phoenix Sports and Darren Anslow discusses the challenges of building a side in the middle of a season and swapping top for bottom in the Isthmian South East. Herne Bay overcame Phoenix on Saturday and Bay manager Steve Lovell reflects on that win and discusses his passion for bringing young players through. And with Dover Athletic sitting top of the table, their top scorer George Nikaj tells Matt about the season so far, how he has found the goal trail and why he's not getting too carried away. There's all the rest of the news, including seven more FA Vase wins and a 6-6 draw, plus all the usual chat and nonsense, including Biffy Clyro (shock!), songs that last a million years, Joan and loads more besides.

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Duration:: 1h 37m
Broadcast on:: 24 Oct 2024
Audio Format:: other

[MUSIC PLAYING] On this week's show, an incredible comeback in the FA Vars. We here from Rochester, United boss, Matt Inne, after his side, Stunt, Lordswood. I'm really proud of the way they dug in. They work really hard. They earn the rock to get that result. A work in progress with Darren Antslow, the new Phoenix Sports Bus tells us all about his rebuilding job. We still need to make the squad a little bit stronger. We still need to have some more time on the training for them to kind of embed what it is we're trying to do. And still got the passion to bring young players through. We here from handbables, Steve Lovell. I'm a players manager. I want to look after them and do what I can to help them improve their game. And if they move on to better things, then brilliant. And Dover Athletic, top of the league. Who would have thought it? Are we here from Star Strike with George Nickage? The way that the team's jelly and the way that the team's playing for the manager and stuff like that, why can't we do it? [MUSIC PLAYING] Hello, everyone. And welcome to this week's episode of the Kent Ollie podcast sponsored by Sandwich Town Youth FC. It's been another amazing week in our little corner of the country, with some great FA VAR success, including an incredible comeback and two league games for most of our sides as well. We've got four intudes for you to enjoy it over the next hour or so. I'm Jonathan Hips. I'm considerably drier than I was when we're calling these bits for last week's show. And also, I'm a man who's been stood up. Yes, for all those, I can record it by the pool promises. Matt Gerard has selfishly decided to prioritize his family holiday over a silly football show. Astonishing, I know. So I've delved into the realms of non-league journalism circles for a co-host this week. And obviously, declared on X earlier this week that the show last time was the most he'd ever been mentioned in the podcast. It's been looking the time to give him a chance to make his K-N-L-P debut. I believe he's a Kent-ish man, although he, like me, now lives in Sussex, is an irregular fixture at Gaines in the county. It is, of course, the one and only Trevor now. Thank you for joining me, Trevor. And how are you on this sunny autumn or Wednesday after me? Hello, John. I'm very well, thank you. It's lovely, lovely and sunny here in Sussex while we're sitting here recording and a pleasure to be on. Absolutely, I mean, we are both in Sussex here. But very unusual for a Kent-based podcast. But while I was right in saying you're a Kent-ish man, is that right? Were you born in Kent? I was, yeah, I thought, I can never remember which side of the river you have to be, whether you're a man of Kent or a Kent-ish man. Well, I did look this up. I did look this up before I spoke to you to make sure I got it right. And I think west of the river medway makes you a Kent-ish man. So I believe you are a Kent-ish man. So that would be the thinking behind it. I will let you plug all of your stuff at the end. We'll save five minutes for that, shall we? But briefly, tell the listeners about your footballing history and how you got into blogging, program writing and podcasting, et cetera. Oh, blummy. How long have we got, John? Talk, talk, keep it brief. Oh, well, OK. Yeah, literally, I lived in Kent from when I was born till 17 years ago when I moved down to Sussex. Used to be a Magestone United fan until they folded. And then when they resurfaced at the very bottom end of Park Football Plan against my brother's reserve, Tiva Oxford, I kind of changed my allegiances to Barnet. And that's where I've been for about the last 40 years. Been blogging for eight, seven years this month, actually, when I first started. And now it's actually a paid venture with a few paying subscribers as well, which is really good. A bit of program writing I'll do for eight clubs, including Gleeb, Corinthian, Cray Valley and Deal in the county, actually. So actually, half of my clubs come from Ken. And your program quality, you do different ones for each club, so a bespoke service. And I suppose it's something that adds to it. And printed programs are dying in some parts of the country, but it's very important, isn't it? Yeah, it is. I mean, I started actually around the pandemic time when, obviously, the seasons were very stop, start for two, two or three years. And I think I started with one club in Sussex, actually, took it on then. And it's kind of grown into a really good service, as you say, it's an absolute bespoke service. Every column is individuals for the club. They get a topic of their choice, if they want. I do all the shots out in the National League, who their program is excellent. Victoria gives me the topic. Every route is great. The rest of them give me free reign to write whatever I want. And there is so much, so much content in non-leaguefoot where you can write about. I could probably feel 20 columns from the clubs in the Southern County's Premier Division on its own, just like that. Obviously, so if you listen later on, Trevor will give you all his details. If you are a program editor and you're looking for some different content, maybe Trevor could be your man. Normally, at this point, I'd be saying to Matt, what have you been up to? We know he's just sat by the pool, probably guzzling right-beener, by the gallon load. Have you been up to anything? He started on April 8th, a couple of games this week, 'cause I suppose it was nice for you to get out. - Yeah, it is. I try and get around as many different clubs and places in the country as well as I can. Mainly to keep my blogging a bit diverse as well. Having sat up all the new Sussex stuff, which we'll come to later on. I'm trying to get as round as many of the Sussex sides as I can, but it's nice to get out of the county and get to some different games, see some different clubs, meet some great people everywhere you go. I was a glee on Tuesday evening. I was in Sussex on Saturday at Boggler, watching Cray Valley there, so, yeah, it's nice to get about on the same with the clubs that I write for the programs for. I try and get around to all of them at least once in a season, kind of a bit of a thank you very much for taking my work and stuff, which is great. So, yeah, it's nice to see so much great football everywhere. - Yeah, apart from your text here and there, this is the first time Trevor and I've actually spoken a word to each other, there's not been a non-league football ground in Kent, that's right, isn't it? - Yeah, that does sound about right, yeah, but it's actually only been a week since we actually did speak to each other in person. - Oh, no, it's amazing how these things come about. So, I've had an all right week, actually been busy at work and stuff, but I did get to see the greatest band in the world on Sunday night, which was Biffy Claro. They played their first album in full and then about a dozen of their other hits. And, apparently, it did three nights, it did the first album on the first night, second album on the second night and the third album on the third night. They played 78 different songs over the course of three nights. That's pretty good going for any band, isn't it? Let alone one that is as amazing as they are. - That's very big. So, how much were the tickets done for each night? - I think in the end, with all the booking fees, one's ticket master was finished, I think I paid about 65 quid each ticket for the night I went and the tickets, when they went on sale, they went on sale in March time. They were so hard to get. So, I literally had to pick one of the three albums to go and see. I discounted this last one because I saw them tour it at the time. I got into them sort of after the second album came out. It was a really tough decision between the first and the second. But in the end, I went for the first 'cause they got two songs on that that I just really wanted to see. And it was definitely the right thing to do. And do you know what? If I'd had the time of work or was working over the night, there were tickets floating about. I could easily have gone on both Monday and Tuesday. But, unfortunately, the day job has to come first sometimes, which is the right pain, isn't it? - Yeah, I find that as well. As you know, the stuff I could get done two in a day if I wasn't doing a day job, but I might have that luxury a little bit in a few weeks' time anyway, but it's not a bad price though for watching, especially a band you'd definitely want to see. And even if you managed to do all three nights as well, 65 quid isn't too bad these days. - Yeah, I think the way the prices of rocketed for things, you know, seeing an Oasis being 150 quid as they were, and then I put the dynamic pricing on it. But it was a small venue as well, which was good. But it was, yeah, we were right up in the gods, we were on the top balcony. But it was, I said to someone outside, I was like, this is the, thank God I got in section, because it was just literally get a ticket, get in, it doesn't matter where you're sat. And actually, yeah, we were sat on these sort of benches, it was at the Shepherd's Bush Empire. And we sat on these sort of benches at the top, we were in about the fourth row, but the view we had was absolutely phenomenal and the sound was great. So absolutely no regrets. It was brilliant, obviously, my good friends at South Eastern Railway, they don't run trains after half 11 on a Sunday. So I did have to drive to Shepherd's Bush and not drink, but I wasn't really that bothered. And in actual fact, we got only an hour and 20 managing to avoid that massive lorry fire. So that was a rock result. - Yeah, I do know, I actually missed that lorry fire by about, I think, an hour or two. We were coming back from Ken from my mum's. Went straight down that stretch of that microwave. And I think it wasn't until Monday morning, I thought, what happened? I was like, oh, that was rather lucky. - Yeah, well, the Sat Nav, when we went to Shepherd's Bush, we went down that way and went up, and went off at Junction 10 and up into London. The Sat Nav on the way home, when it wasn't busy, I didn't really mind which way I went. So I ended up going through Beckham. Fi was absolutely delighted. I can't tell you how thrilled she was when there's me driving up the road and I went, oh, you see that same space there? Well, if you just go down there and pass a road, which that's where Beckham play. That's the sort of thing you don't get if you don't go out with a non-league geek, isn't it? - Exactly, that's the sort of thing I used to do as well. Be like, oh, oh, I've been to that ground there, I've been to that one there, but I've not been part, I've not been to that one. That's gonna have to go on the list. - It's amazing that we're not both single mate, I tell you. It's our 310th episode this week. Let me discover all about the JBL Party Box 310 Bluetooth Mega Sound Party Speaker. To be honest, Party Box and Mega Sound, being in the name, put me off the product long before, I realized it cost 350 pounds. My Bluetooth speaker was 15 quid and that works just fine. I also found a square shower head, a motorbike and the Marex 310 sun cruiser, which has, and I quote, extraordinary levels of space and comfort, never seen before on a boat of this size. And just under quarter of a million quid, I'll take two, thank you. And I also discovered a band called Bull of Heaven, who had a song called 310, and then a load of mathematical symbols after it. Now this was a learning experience because, and I quote, "Bull of Heaven are an American experimental slash avant garde group, best known for their influencing long pieces of music, with pieces sometimes reaching extreme lengths, going from a few days to many millions of years long." And 310 with all the symbols is apparently 3.34 quindicellian years long. Quindicell is got 48 zeros. So it's safe to say that this piece of music will outlive all of us and probably the entire planet. And if that's not the oddest thing you learned today, do let me know. What's the point? - You know, if I had 48 different zeros after a couple of pound notes, I'd be quite happy with that. - That'd do, yeah. I don't even think Jeff Bezos has got that much money, but that would do. Anyway, after all of that, let's actually do some proper football chat show. We will start with an incredible FA VARs tie on Saturday. And made by Darby, nonetheless, where Lords were took on Vodges United. The Scephal Criminal Division Lords were three-nil up at the break. And I'm sure many people who saw that score at half time, would have thought that, well, that one's done and dusted. But within 13 minutes of the restarts were level, 13 minutes from time, they led. Only to then concede an equalizer, two minutes from time, which took the game to penalties. But they still managed to win to get to the second round for the first time in their history. Quite the aftering then for Rochester and their boss, Matt Hume, who I spoke to earlier today. - It was a fantastic weekend. We've just calmed down a little bit now. It was a great result. It was more the whole performance a bit of the whole day, which was a fantastic day. So, you know, in the way we went about winning it was excellent. Three-nil down a half time. What did you say in the dressing room? Must have been quite the team talk. - Well, yeah, I won't take all the credit, but what we did do first half, I felt like it wasn't a three-nil, the score line didn't reflect on the game for me. We gave them two goals, in my opinion, in the first two. We played really quite well up to that point. So, they scored their third goal just before half time. It was an excellent goal for me winning it, it was 25, 30 yards and went straight in. So, I come in and after thinking there was some mistakes I could have had a go up about. But actually, for me, there was two ways we could have looked at. The third goal could have, like, you know, family does and said, look, the game's over. But I said, I think we've gone in. We've been thinking they've won the game, and I still think there's loads to play for. So, the team talk was more of a positive one and make them, you know, I said to them, "We can hold out for 10 minutes and not concede again "because, and get ourselves back in the game "and work really hard and earn the right to win." I said, "We need to go early. "I think there's a game on here." And it's exactly what we're on. We come out that we've all at the track really, really well. I thought we'd completely dominated the first 30 minutes of the second half. And I've done a win. We certainly scored three goals in probably half an hour. The game was all ours to win. And then we scored the fourth, which became really exciting. And we completely dominated our half in my opinion. They scored right at the end, I think two minutes to go. Which was another good goal from them. But the Sun was played a big factor in it, funny enough. And he hit that from about 30 yards, which, right? So, it was really disappointing for that. But funny enough, just about reaction in the, you know, half time to the end of the game. When we come to penalties, I mean, obviously, there's a few nervous people. I said to them, "Just all we lacks and enjoy this now. "I'm so proud of what they've done in the first, you know, "in that second half to get themselves back in the game. "We deserve to win it, in my opinion, "because of the way we reacted. "The penalty is all from both sides, I don't think so. "And if Tom Loynes come up and scored the decisive one "at the end of that, so it was a fantastic day all round, "I think, for me, more than anything, "it's taught them a lesson about not giving up "and making sure that, you know, no matter what, you know, "what's going on, if you dig in and fight for something, "you've got the opportunity. "I hope it's standing good for the rest of the season, "more importantly." Yeah, it was three goals in eight minutes, I think, at the start of that second half. I was at another game when I was keeping an eye on the other scores. And I was like, "Unbelievable." 'Cause I think a lot of people everywhere would have said, "Lord's with three and a half time." And thought, "Oh, well, that's that. "They're going to coast through." So, that eight minutes must have been absolutely incredible for you. Yeah, it really was. And again, the reflection of the game for me in the first half, and I think most people you spoke to said, "The three, three-nil score line on there, "you know, we've been winning at half time. "Wasn't a true reflection on the half, "and I think installing that belief at half-timing them, "and letting it, you know, "I think the way they reacted when they come in at half-time, "I think they thought I was going to have a go. "But I actually thought we played quite well. "We made a few bad errors for the goals. "And I said, we got everything to play for. "And thankfully, their belief was there. "And, you know, I'm really proud of the way they dug in. "They weren't really hard. "They earned the role to get that result. "And, you know, everyone, you know, it was great to see them, "just have a go at it and try out." And I think we're a young sport still, and there's a lot of young legs there that would have learned a lot from that. And yeah, it was an amazing... I didn't realise it was as polite as that in the amount of times we scored in goals. But he seemed like one went in in another one, and it just got more and more excited as the game went on. But it was one of the best games as a neutral to what. It was an unbelievable game of the world. It was really exciting. I know you said it was a really good goal, but having gone 4-3 up and almost seen it out, you must have been pulling your hair out when they equalised. Yeah, OK. And again, but as a manager, and just watching what they've done that second half, I'd actually, I literally, towards the end of that half, I was actually thinking, "I don't care what that will happen now, "really, because they've done so well. "They should hold their heads up." But, yeah, I was disappointed because, again, on balance with the overall game, I felt we were the better side all day. I think we wanted it more. We played better football. I think we created more chances. We had more about it, and I was really proud of it. And I don't think what helped then was, you know, I think it helped my team talk. We heard the music going in the train room next door. It was about half a time. And I said to them, I said, "They think they've won this already." And I think, if you use that to your advantage, they're going to, and they did, they didn't come out, you know, with firing on all cylinders. And I think we took advantage of it, so it was fantastic. And you've got to take massive confidence from it into both the next round at home to Fleettown and your lead campaign as well. Yeah, hugely, because I think there's one thing that we've not been great at at the last couple. And I said that to them, is we're a really good side on our day. But if things don't quite go our way, where they're young, sometimes they, you know, they stop doing what they should be doing. And I said a lot of football games and leagues are won by teams that just doggedly grind out. You know, you can't play well every week. And it's how much you really want it week in, week out, every minute of the game, and whether or not you, you know, in the successful teams I've managed before, and I've been doing it a long time now, generally the ones that are most successful, we're not always got the ones with the most abilities, the ones that got the most desire and passion that will really want to put their body on the line every week for you. And I think, like, I think it taught them a massive lesson Saturday that if you really believe in it and work hard and, you know, and we're going to have loads more times like this throughout the season, we want to get promoted. We've got to draw from Saturday's performance and make sure that we use everything that we got out of that to get us through some other these tight games. We've got a big month ahead, you know, like every month, you know, and again, bleed down that we got in the next round of the bars, look really good on paper, they're a league above us. I think they've only lost two league games in their campaign so far. So, but, you know, they ain't going to know about us, they're going to come to us possibly thinking where the league below and maybe not as, and we might catch them on guard. Never know, we might be going to Wembley. - There's no harm in dreaming about that, is there? But I suppose for you as well, having lost in the personal final last year, the bread and butter is the league. Every time I look at your division, the team at the top seems to have changed. It is so tight between the six or seven of you at the very top of the table. - Yeah, I think last year, there was less teams that were talked about as being promotional, promotion title contenders. I think it was White Leaf last year, we were thrown in the mix. And then I think can't have been stateless with it like the other. I think this year, you know, it's not got any easier. You know, I think it's got a lot tighter with more teams involved in that playoff chase and try and get us out at the moment. I think no one, I mean, Forrest still were top, but not by, you know, I think one game in it could change that very easily. I think it's very tight up there at the moment. There's a lot of teams in the mix. I think whoever gets a little run together now could pull themselves away 'cause everyone else is beating each other. But, you know, who that might be. I mean, I'm hoping that if we can, I know we're like probably most of the other teams. On our day, I feel like we can beat anyone, but it's whether or not you can get that same squad out. I think you could be lucky with injuries. If you can get that same squad out every week and you get a bit of consistency going, if anyone can pull away and get a little run together, I think they're, you know, that's what you need to be looking at. If you can manage to achieve it. If not, it could be a doggy part, right till the end with all of us in it. And obviously you play Canterbury this weekend. So I suppose those are the games you've got to be looking to win because it's important to beat the teams that are in and around you. 100% and we dropped a couple of important games. We can't afford, you know, we, I think if we win our games in and we could be second, I can't, I don't know, I haven't looked at the league again recently. I try not to look at it too much, just concentrate on each game. But I think, you know, we've got to make sure we keep, keep winning Canterbury's a massacre. But, you know, we've got everyone back again at the moment, which is really exciting. We have a lot of injuries the last few weeks. I'm not making excuses for that, but we have. And we've got them all coming back. So I think off the back of this week's performance, you know, hopefully, you know, people are fighting for their places. There's a lot of good players that won't start this Saturday that they're there and they're about. So, you know, I feel confident, but we, let's just not make it about last Saturday. Now we've got to, we've got to push on from last Saturday's performance and keep putting that shift in every week. - That's brilliant Matt, thank you very much. That is a great result for Rochester. And what great spirit Trevor, to first of all, come back from three-nil down and then bounce back again after considering a late leveler to win that on penalties. That's what the Vase is all about, isn't it? - Yeah, it's fantastic. I mean, just listen to the entity with, you know, with Matt there and saying, you know, he felt that when laws have went in at half time and three-nil up, they thought they'd won it. And then to come back, to come back for three-nil down anywhere is, you know, he's absolutely remarkable. But to do it away from home as well and be a division lower, it's tough for that last-minute equalizer as well, then still go through on penalties. It's what you look for in a Vase game. It's that kind of thing that takes you quite deep into the competition as well. - Yeah, I thought it was what he said, you know, I could have thrown the teacups and had a go and but I didn't think we'd played that badly and I just told him to go out there and keep it tight. And even he didn't realize that this scored three goals in the space of eight minutes. And, but that just goes to show that actually, he knows his players and obviously knows how to get the best out of them. - Yeah, I think sometimes as well, when you hear some managers, you know, that they go in and they point out this and they point out that. And then sometimes you go in with that relaxed, calm, demeanor, and then that translates to the players as well. And they actually believe and think, you know what, we have got a chance. We have got a chance to go out and get three goals in eight minutes must have really not stuffed in our Lord's Wood. - And Lord's Wood obviously not having the best run of former anyway. So I suppose it was probably, I'd imagine once they got one and two back, then Lord's Wood would have been really, really nervous. And, you know, given the start of the season they had it and their FA Cup exploits and, you know, they've got some really good players at Lord's Wood as well. You know, they'll be really disappointed to have released that because they would have looked at that and thought that was a winnable tie for them. And a local derby of sorts as well. I mean, I know there's a lot of clubs knocking around the Midway area, but that's the sort of result for Rochester that's put them on the map, you know. It makes people sit up and take notice because that is a really, really excellent win for them. - Yeah, I mean, I was just looking at Lord's Wood former, it's damn, am I right? They've only won one league game since the FA Cup tie against Sissonball? - Yeah, absolutely. - You know, and just look, they've absolutely dropped like a stone, you know, down the table and to be free, you know, up in that game to have it, you know, pulled back to 4-3 against. They get that late equalizer, but still can't get it over the line as well. They've probably looking over their shoulders a lot more than they probably should have been in the last month. But, you know, credit to Rochester, you know, they were talked about in the promotion tables last year. They were talked about in the, again, this year as well. You know, that sort of thing is a sort of result as well. It spurs you on even more to have a really successful season. - Yeah, well, it gives you confidence. But also, and I've said this a couple of times this season on the show, I'm not phoning Matt Hume up if I lose that game four-nil. You know, he's not getting the chance to tell us all about it on this podcast. But those are the results, you get them on the show and then they get to talk about it and you learn a bit more about the club. I know that's something that Matt Jarod's always keen on, you know, hearing about the people at the clubs and everything like that. And, you know, for Matt Hume, that is a fantastic result. And, you know, he says he's got some young players there. He's got some experienced heads. They obviously beaten the play of semi-final last year and they bounced back to a decent start. And the top of that league looks to me to be incredibly competitive. And as I said to him there, every week we look at that table and someone different's top. And so again, that they've got this weekend against Canterbury City, another side that are up there, those are the games they've got to be looking to win. And I did read an interview with Matt somewhere else. We said we tend to do well against the better team. So hopefully, for them, they can, you know, really use this as a catalyst and keep the form going before they play Fleet Town in the next round. I mean, it's one of those divisions as well that I sort of keep a little eye on, like, right out the very corner of my eye. And as you say, watching the top end of the table really change hands. Obviously, everyone knows about Forest Hill Park and Essie Donnes, Croydon McGreat in the cups last year. And again, as you mentioned, Canterbury, you know, they've only lost between the three of them. They've lost three games, one each, but you've got some sort of temperance as well. Haven't lost the game yet as well. Rochester just outside those playoffs from the game in hand as well. That game against Canterbury on Saturday. That's the sort of game you want to be involved in. Sort of game you want to go and watch as well because it should be an absolute cracker. - Absolutely. Elsewhere in the vase, by and large, it went pretty well for our teams. Have have some short thoughts were beaten by Haywood Teeth on Friday. And on Saturday, Lid Town scored twice in stoppage, so I'm including a 101st-minute winner to beat Athletic Newham 3-2. Here at the Belvedere beat, Williamsford and Crowhurst, two nil on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Faber shouldn't click the wings of British Airways with a 1-0 win. Stan'sfield lost out, 4-1 on spot kicks to Peacaben and Telscam. Sutton Athletic also lost out on spot kicks to Rochester's next opponent's fleet town. VCD did win on penalties, 5-3 against Roffee. Wits will beat Virginia Water 1-0. And this has scored two late goals to win 4-2 at Yates United. And after Saturday's initial game was called, O'Tumbridge was also made it through over the 3-1 win over Padam on Tuesday night. So eight winners for us there, as well as Scephal Division I, Clapton Community and Homestale joined the party now. So there are 10 sides from the Scephal in the last 128 of this year's tournament. That's not bad at all. And I think that's a pretty good sign of how strong the Scephal is, especially compared to all the leagues around us. - Yeah, definitely. I mean, I always look at, I think Matt remarked the other week about how Scephal compared to the other divisions around. And for me, the Scephal's always been definitely one of the strongest, the combined counties I think is pretty, it's robust, but slightly easier, I think, to get out of. And the wetsics I put in third above the Southern combination down here in Sussex. But the Scephal's, I think, is the toughest one to get out of. And, you know, when you look at the fast records, the clubs get much, much further than especially the Scephal's side to do. You know, it's shown in Tumbage World and they all both get into Wembley. It's a tough competition to win because it's anybody's, it really is. You need that little bit of luck along the way, which a lot of managers will tell you. But it only takes one result, like, you know, a little bit like Rochester had at the weekend. All of a sudden, they're in the fourth round off the Christmas and, you know, that arch becomes that little bit closer. - I think the thing for a lot of our teams as well, and I know there's a lot of talk about where leagues and everything like that, north and south and, you know, poor bishop sort of being put in the north, et cetera, et cetera. But where I actually think it does, the vase does hinder us is it seems every year we get to February and whatever teams we've got left are going to Somerset. And that's where it becomes really difficult because you get a February trip to Somerset. In February, some of these games have been cooled off, so you keep going down there and coming back. And I think that's where actually the league starts to come unstuck when you get all the difficulties of having to go to these post-Christmas games, which are a long way to go, massive change in routine. And then the weather's really funny for you. Does that make sense? - Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I think, I mean, I look at Little Hampton when they made it to the vase final just three years ago. They had, I think, after they lost to Athletic Neurum, which was the, after Christmas game and they actually got reinstated in the competition because they played an ineligible player or two. Little Hampton had home ties all the way through and they had, Brock and Hurst obviously not too bad coming from the new Florence, but then they had North, North Shields, and they had Loughborough. And each time those clubs have had to travel, and North Shields, I know they can, but their supports were leaving at six in the morning to make it down to Little Hampton for a big buck pick up. So, the traveling really does come into it. And I'd probably imagine if you still, if you speak to Tommy Sampson, if you speak to Martin Larkin as well, going to play in some of those Northern sides as well when it's over two legs in the semi-finals, it makes, it really does make a difference. And if you get that look at the draw as well, you know, that really, really will help. - Absolutely, two all-scaffled ties in the next round as well, which is played early next month. So, we'll discuss it when it comes around. In the Scaffle privilege on Saturday, surprise results all around. As all four games saw the team lower in the league, came victory. Holland's a Blair beat Larkfield, and new hired one, Neil. Getting to beat for Anthony in 2-1. Punjabi and I had suffered there first league to be at the season as they went down 4-2 at home to Fisher, and Russell won at home for the first time this season with a 2-0 win against Holmesdale. And the final game to continue on Tuesday night as the other two unbeaten records in the division also went. Punjabi bounced back with a 3-2 win over leaders of ECD, and Fabulousam also beating at 1-0 at home by a lot of a new high. Holmesdale was a 2-0 to Fisher, who moved up to 4 after those back-to-back wins. Best to beat Lidtown 2-1. Sasson 30 won 1-0 at Lordswood, and Snodland beat Kennington 4-1. But the drama isn't over there. As an absolute thriller at Glee, was ended two minutes from time by a floodlight failure. The dears, Irith and Belvedere, would hit back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2, when the lights went out, and the luck would have it. One of those left in the dark is my guest co-host of the week. A quiet night in Chiselhurst, was it? Yeah, well, it was a very dark night by the end. As a crazy, crazy, crazy night. I mean, Glee were deservedly in front by Goldsner in the first half. They blocked everything Irith through at them, scored early in the second half, and I thought, "Blimey, we're going on for three or four." But then Irith got one back. The other two very nicely worked goals as well, to put them level and in front as well. They were kicking down that slope as well. And they were good value second off. Irith after the first three minutes to be in front. And then we were, you know, just gearing up. I think we were actually, I can't remember if we were actually in stoppage time or that was two minutes that left of that. And the lights went one side and then the other literally straight afterwards. We all stood around in the dark with phone lights on, waiting and waiting. And obviously you have to let the lights power down before you can put them back on, before you blow them completely. And then the side I was standing on came back on. Then the following side, a couple of minutes later, and then I think literally they were on for about, they looked as if they were just about to get the full power and boom, how they went again and that was it. - Well, the people around you frustrated by this happening. I'm guessing if you're Gleeb, you're obviously disappointed that it's happened, but looks like they're going to get another go at play in this game and again, they were losing, but no one wants that to happen, do they? - No, they don't. I mean, they were, I mean, everyone was quite, you know, spread out around both touch lines and that. And I think it was just, there wasn't, you know, I know the Gleeb people quite well about it. There wasn't a lot of ton of announcements and that. So I don't think people knew whether to go, whether to stay. I just didn't flick through Twitter or X for the like, you know, for the foreseeable. And then only when the lights went out the second time, did the referee actually blow his whistle to abandon the game? - It's all funny, abandoned games. I'm sure I've said to you when we've seen each other before, abandoned games in mid-week used to be the dream when I was working on local papers, because if it was cooled off after half an hour, you'd still get your interviews and you could go home early. But when you, you know, when you get to that late stage of the game as well, and so much of it has been played, it's really difficult that everyone's got to go back and do it, but you can completely understand that in whatever time was left, there's nothing to say that Gleeb couldn't have scored an equalizer or that Irith and Belvedic could have scored again, because it could all come down to gold if it's come to the end of the season. So it's frustrating, it's difficult for everyone, but it's gotta be replayed, I think. I mean, I was at the FA Cup game between lid and deal last season when it was cooled off due to an injury for two minutes to play, and lid will tune it up. But they still had to do a complete replay of it the next week, and it's like, you know, I feel for people, and I feel that people might look at it and say, you've got to show a bit of common sense here, but also you've got to look at the bigger picture and say, well, that point could make all the difference. That goal could make all the difference. Yeah, I mean, even if it was 4-0, one way or the other, like you say, back goal at the end of the day, especially when you've got the, you know, the playoffs and everything, you know, we're not looking at either of those two sides likely to be involved in the title race, but you never know. But yeah, that one goal could make an absolute difference one way or the other, even, you know, even in between finishing positions for somebody else within the 20 clubs. - I wouldn't normally do an update on a Wednesday night game that's happened a few hours after we've recorded, but this evening's game in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, the best league in the world. Let's not be about the bush. Between Stan Sveld and Rustall, a standard Wednesday night fixture. Well, no, because it's finished at Stan Sveld this evening, or Craig Valley, where they play. It's with Stan Sveld 6, Rustall 6, that is correct. We have had a six-all draw in the Southern Counties East League this evening. I mean, what a game of football. I know someone who was at the game, so I may see a report of it later on, but that is genuinely astonishing, a six-six draw. Stan Sveld led by four goals to one at half time. There were four went up after 39 minutes, in fact. Rustall scored four goals in the second half to go from four one down to five four ahead, and then Harvey Mead equalised for Stan Sveld in the 87th minute. Rustall went back in front in the 93rd minute, and then seven minutes into stoppage time. Seven minutes into stoppage time. Stan Sveld scored again to make it Stan Sveld 6, Rustall 6. Have you ever heard anything like it? What an incredible game of football. What an advert for the skiffle, and just absolutely crazy, crazy game of football. It does mean in the league table, these two sides, they're both down there, I was gonna say they're both in the box. Stan Sveld were actually ninth. They've played 14 games, you know, at 17 points. Rustall 18th in the table with 12 points from 13. So there's only five points between the two teams, and Rustall do have a game in hand. But you can't be drawing six-all. Six-all, Wednesday night football. What a thing, an absolute incredible result. Well unto both teams for giving their all, and that is an incredible fixture. Anyway, back to me and Trevor to discuss the rest of this week's action. - On Saturday, Corinthian host, Nodland, Irith and Belwoody meet Bea Stud, and in spavishing against Stan Sveld, Sutton aesthetic go-to-fisher, Glee post-Hollands and Blair, home style at home to Larkfield in Newhyth, Lord's would take on Rustall, lid at home to Punjab, summer as well as against Whitstall, and VCD host Kennington and on Tuesday night, it's Larkfield and Newhyth against Corinthian. I'll tell you what, Trevor, actually, he's already looking like a much like last season, a much more exciting title race than we were anticipating, and VCD and Punjab have both been brilliant so far. - Yeah, they have. I mean, I thought Punjab on my outside bet for the playoffs last year and didn't quite make it, though, just that little bit short, I think. And I think, you know, Chippie's got out in the summer. He's just got in exactly what he's needed. And, you know, seeing that result last night, you know, VCD's first defeat of the season, you know, will be an absolute shot in the arm for them. Put them, you know, they're only gonna be fairly four points behind, Faber Shum losing as well. You know, he's really looking exciting. You know, just between those three clubs, it's hard to see if someone else is gonna, you know, jump out of that pack underneath, Corinthian will say they can, you know, laugh or won't say they're out of it, even, you know, even pierced it as well. But, you know, those three at the moment, you know, having lost just a game each, you know, this season, you just think, you know, it should come from one of those three, but only only takes a mini collapse of a month and what was on someone else's in the mix. - Well, and the things as well, if you look at the league table outside of those three, there's only 11 points between fourth and 19th. So that just shows how tight it is. And we mentioned earlier about Lords and how they plummeted down the table. They're taking three wins and they're probably back up around the playoff places. So it is such a fascinating division. And, you know, I'm so proud that we get to talk about it on this show because as you said earlier on, it is such a strong league and, you know, anyone can beat anyone in that division. And you mentioned Corinthian might think they got a chance of pushing up. I know their manager who likes to play down his sides things. He said to me the other day, what's worrying him actually is that there's three big teams there that are in forced positions that he fully expects to be in and around the playoffs. He thinks, you know, that the likes of which the Lord's would in Lidtown should be doing better than they are. I mean, Lid have just signed Stefan Payne. Those three teams should be in and around the playoffs with the squads and the management that they've got. And yet here they are. They're all in the bottom. What's seven of the table? If they find their form, then the teams that are like between six and 10 are going to be looking over their shoulders quite rapidly. - Yeah. And I think as well, you could probably add a temperature as well. So that makes as well who, you know, they started the season quite well. And just dropped off a little bit the last few weeks. You know, they're another club that probably think that they should be in and around, you know, those play places or maybe as well. You know, an FFA files run for them will help, you know, just, you know, propel that league form up a little bit as well. But he's so open, as you say, in between that six to about 15th, 16th level, you know, and when you get a week like this week, where, you know, some sides are playing three times this week, you know, you pick up nine points, you know, a massive difference to your position. - Absolutely. In the first division on Saturday, the division we normally associate with goals, but only one of the six fixtures saw both teams school. That was a four, two win for Forest Hill Park. We say top with victory at Welling Town, according just behind them on goal difference after they beat Greenway's one-nil, country city in third after their three-nil win over Hall's Athletic. Well, Brydon wrote to be stable as one-nil. Lucien Burrow beat bottom of the table, Meridian VP five-nil. Nesty Thames made a two-team victory, nil-nil before Meridian VP suffered their 11th defeat out of 11 as they were beating one-nil by Clapton Community on Tuesday night. This weekend it's FCU, I'm sitting against Clapton Community, Forest Hill Park, Hosts Farrell from Strikeforce, Hall's Athletic me, Brydon Ropes, Meridian VP, host Greenway's, as we've already heard, it's Rochester against Canterbury, Sheppie Sports, Host Welling Town, is sold to our hundreds against Croydon, Stapeless Monks against FC Thames made, the two team back against Lewis and Barrow, who are then at home to FC Thames made next Wednesday. And let's move on up to the National League now, and Trevor's real field of expertise, where he's Barnet have dropped from first and third this week. As our only team in that league, Epsilonide lost to what are now the top two over the course of this week, at us 4-1 at York on Saturday before a 3-1 defeat of Forest Green on Tuesday night, still only two points between them and Wheelstone at the foot of the table, and with the Stones visiting on Saturday, it's time for Fleet to pick up some points. And are you surprised at how badly it's gone for Epsilon so far this season? - Yeah, very, I had them, I think, in my prediction in the earlier before the season started, I think I had them around about mid-table. I expected Danny Soh and Anne Maude into really push on this year, and they've got the bases of a very good score, but it didn't start well for them. Harry Watlings come in, and he hasn't seen a single new manager bounce by that one win, and they just can't seem to buy a point or three from anywhere at the moment. - Massive bang for them on Saturday at home to Wheelstone as well, who are the team directly above them. I mean, if they were to lose that, then the gap becomes very big, even at this stage of the season. - Yeah, and then I think as well, you start looking at, do we change manager again? But are we gonna, you know, have we given him long enough? You know, nothing seems to have changed from the previous, but then you have to ask a question that is it the manager, is it the coach, and is it the players? - Yeah, it's such a tough one. I mean, I think it was unfortunately that the time for Danny Sull to go with how disappointing they'd been, and you know, they'd obviously been hard to beat last season, but as I said a few times last season, it's not just that they're losing games, it's the manner of their defeats, you know, it's heavy defeats as well. And that's what would concern me from an obviously point of view. And, you know, you look at this squad, there's some good players in there, but I think the biggest problem for me, and I said this last week, is they're lack of goals, you know, poly on them being a good players, but if they're not firing, then I don't know where the goals are going to come from, obviously. And then, you know, you get into a vicious circle situation where they're probably not paying anywhere near the biggest budget in the league. So how do they go out and get players and tend them to come and play for them when they're at the foot of the table? - I mean, I didn't see the lineup last night, but I don't know exactly both Bingham and Coleum were on the bench away at York, which I looked about and I thought, Christ, you know, where are they, you know, score goals from? You know, bringing Kwame Thomas last year, who was really third-choice or fourth-choice striker, all the shot. I didn't really see him contributing, you know, the 10-20 that you actually need as well. And like you say, they are conceding goals for fun as well. I think the first thing that he probably should have done when he came in was shore up that back line first before, you know, make yourself harder to beat and make teams really work for a win, 'cause at the moment, it just seems that they just, you know, they roll it over, the bellies are being tickled, but just a little bit lucky that the, you know, Will Stone have almost done exactly the same? Yeah, it's, it's right. So did you see absolute play earlier on this season against Barney or did you give that one a miss? Yes. No, yeah, I saw it was, it was, it was only second game in. And I looked at it then and I actually thought, they've got a heck of a job this season. They just look very disjointed. We weren't, we weren't our best. We lost the opening game of the season and this was, and this was the second one. And we, we, we probably should have had a couple more before we gave them a very, a very good penalty. If they score, if I made the score, I look a little bit close than it was. But I looked at that, I've got a couple of friends as well that the support, absolutely, that go, you know, one of them goes every week, home and away. And I was about two them a couple of times, you know, he said he's just, you can't see where, you know, things are coming from. We watched them last year at them talking when they, you know, when they needed the points and they were brilliant that day, absolutely brilliant, you know, and it wasn't long after, after talking at, torn Chesterfield Park. So it's so difficult to see where they're going to get a result. They don't get one this weekend against World Stone. It's, you know, it makes that task even, even tougher, just to catch a team above you, let alone the sides above and they're one or two just around them as well. He likes if you're South End's, you made an head from that, that are capable to put a run together, get themselves away, which really maroons absolutely in the bottom four. - Yeah, in the National League South, we said last week, it was a big week for Welling United's. They faced two sides blowing them in the table and boy did Rod Stringer's boys deliver. They won both of those games, one of the first St. Albans on Saturday and then are home to Enfield and Tuesday night despite missing a penalty. You saw them at Worthy earlier this month, Trevand, and things looking a lot better for them now after those two wins. - Yeah, they are. I mean, I thought they were good that night. Their game plan was really good first half. They kept Worthing's two danger players, Danny Cashman and Jack Spong, very quiet. Cashman found a little bit more space in the second half, but I know the last two or three weeks as well, they've been on the wrong end of some contentious penalty decisions that haven't gone there, that haven't gone their way when it gets to outside the penalty area as well. But I spoke to Kevin Watson that night at Worthing. It just said that it just needs something to go their way. And it really has this week. And just a little bit like I alluded to a couple of minutes ago with Ebsley, make yourself hard to be, pick up two clean sheets, like you say, everything's all of a sudden. They're five points off the playoffs now instead of looking down below them. - Yeah, elsewhere, Maystone, held to a 1-1 draw by Slough on Saturday. Tom and James will suffer their second league loss of the season as they lost three, two at Worthing, but they bounced back to the one who went over talking on Tuesday night with Maystone's Monday match, Avelie called off due to traffic troubles. Welling head-to-dawking on Saturday, Maystone who dropped to 19th in the table, host Emmell Hempstead, and Tom and James have the mammoth trip out west to face Truro. Let's head to the Ismaili Southeast now in the game where I was out on Saturday as our first port of call. It's a new era of Phoenix sports with forward Becken and Boss Darren Anzlo taking over a Saturday, which is first-time game in charge against Humbay. Both sides would later play on Tuesday, but I hope I managed to get these interviews to be timeless enough. It ended three, one turn by on Saturday, with two goals before the break and a third from the spot set them up for the win, and Microsoft did get one back for the hosts. Let's hear from both bosses then, start with Darren Anzlo, and I began by asking about having a new look side for that game on Saturday. - Very similar situation to when I spoke to at the start of a lot of, at the same kind of period, I actually were Becken and you come in and I thought today, you did look like a new team, I thought there were moments where we looked like, you know, we could be all right, but I also think there were moments where you can kind of see we weren't quite as cohesive as we probably would be in another three or four weeks' time. - I think I've looked at that game there and I'd check the league table afterwards just to check how things actually, you don't look like a side who's only got one point, you look like you're better than that, but it's just getting those results and the confidence, isn't it? - I think, yeah, I mean, look, I'm gonna be perfectly honest, when we came in a couple of weeks ago, we gave players an opportunity last week, so everything we've kind of done has been this week, all of our business has kind of been this week, so we've not really had any time to manage to kind of spend any real time together, I think we managed to get an hour and 15 minutes together on Thursday and we did a little bit of a couple of an hour worth of walkfills on a pitch on Tuesday, but like everything, again, it's that pre-season, mid-season that's gonna kind of take time to get the place to chill. There were some really pleasing things for me in terms of, like I said, moments, little spells where you looked, you thought, right, this could work, but again, look, if you don't defend your box, you end up getting beat, so that's, if you take anything out of games a day, it's defending that our own box a little bit better. - I thought there were moments in the game where the pool just didn't quite drop for you, and on another day, those dropped a different way and the result ends up being different. - Yeah, I think, especially, I think we had won in the first half, I think, where Brooks has saved and the lights come from, hit back across and he saved it on the line where, where possibly we could have done a little bit better. Second half, you kind of, we toiled and I think we hit the bar from a corner, should have scored from another corner. But again, like you're right, one day they drop, another day they drop in and it's maybe a different game. I thought the one, the penalty kind of just killed him 'cause we had a little bit on our men and then killed us a little bit, but like, we came back into it and I think, you know, if the one goes in at 3-1, where he hits the bar and drops down, 3-2, maybe the 10 minutes, 10 minutes is a little bit different, but, you know, again, they were, you know, in terms of their finishing and killing the game off, you know, they did what they had to do. - It's a bit of a day to have you for you this, isn't it? 'Cause list on last year, you're just taking over a team at the bottom of the league and we're trying to do exactly what you're now trying to do here as well. - Yeah, so what I'm hoping is that, you know, myself, Brad, and Nick, I've got a little bit more experience in this situation now. It's why we moved a little bit quicker this week to bring in some new players because I think last year we kind of waited four or five weeks before we did anything. And this year, we've kind of learnt from that. We've tried to move a bit more quickly. You know, look, we still need to make the squad a little bit stronger. We still need to have some more time on the training pitch for them to kind of embed what it is we're trying to do. I think you could kind of see what we were trying to do at times today, and then I thought, well, other times, we looked slightly disjointed. But last year, that comes with, that fluidity comes with being together, spending time together, having hours on the pitch together. And look, the reality is, you know, what are we now? We're probably, you could argue, we're 14 weeks behind everybody else. So we've got to try and get 14 weeks worth of work in the next couple of weeks, if that's possible. You know, with Tuesday, with the visit around gate. It's a tough week. - I suppose it's doubly hard for you as well, 'cause you've all built one team this year. That's quite good. And now you've got to try and do it all again. - Yeah, but you know, look. - It is, and I spoke to you last year about the importance of pre-season. And for me, and getting that cohesion, so getting that cohesion together in the team. And, you know, we made that this season. I think we were, what was good for us this year at Beckinum was our recruitment over the Sunday, I spoke to you earlier in the year, and said our recruitment would be really good. We'd go out and met all of the players, spent a lot of time with them. So yeah, we've got to try and now get that same model, kind of here at Phoenix. And look, I've got to say about the club as well, that the welcoming value has been absolutely fantastic. It's a breath of fresh air. You're walking, you know, everybody wants the same thing. And like now we, you know, because of that welcome, what we've had, not there's any more pressure, but now I feel like actually I want to repay that to the people that are here. - And it's sort of like a football, so much about momentum, isn't it as well? Because obviously, Beckinum, even after your departure and everything that's gone on around that, I've still kept on winning games of football. And obviously you've come in here and you're trying to make things happen, but obviously you've got one point from 10 games. So that's where it just shows how important momentum is, doesn't it? - Yeah, I think we had a great start this year, obviously at Beckinum, but I knew this. You know, I said this to everybody. I think we had a really good summer with regards to recruitment. And players that could play in the system that we wanted to play in, and in fairness to those players, they've kept going. And, you know, I'm pleased with those players because we brought them into the club. But that's gone, and now it's in here. And I think that we're moving and we've got some good players in. I think what you could see today is, three or four, the new signs that come in this week haven't necessarily played a lot of games this season. So you could see, like, you know, we mentioned Will, for example, had a really good game. Will, but Will's kind of had a little bit of a disjointed season. So he's missed a few. He's not played as much as he could have. So again, I think once we start to get those minutes under their belt and a little bit more work on the training pitch with us, I think that, you know, should bear some fruit. Were you surprised that an opportunity counts? So quickly, and did you have any hesitations about getting straight back into the game? Was I surprised? Yeah, I think because, look, sometimes jobs don't come about it for people. You could be out of it. There's a lot of managers that, you know, you come out of it, that you're going to do all right, and I'll get a job straight away, and it doesn't happen. Yeah, I mean, look, this came up. And for me, again, there's a lot of things that you take into account. I've gone all along all of the king coast pretty much. This is obviously not too far from where I live. They've got some good plans to set up. You know, they're lovely people at the club. So, yeah, a little bit surprised, but, you know, it's something to get our teeth into it. It's something that you kind of, there's almost, don't want to prove we can do it again, but, you know, can we do it again? You know, we've got the template, right? It's now moving forward and, you know, have we got enough time to make it click, really? I suppose as being a football man, you must have been desperate to get back in as soon as you could. It was nice to first set it off. I'm not going to lie. It was nice. Didn't have to go to blue water. Didn't have to go to blue water. No, I'm only so avoid that. But yeah, so I had that Saturday off and kind of nicely will be a rest, but it was so quick. It happened so quickly. It was a case of, right, let's go and meet the players. And, you know, in fairness to Keith, it was a tough job. It's a tough job. It is a tough gig. And, you know... This is a tough game because of where you are. The massive catchment area, you know, but so many clubs in and around it. I'd imagine a lot of people would have driven up and down this road and not even know you're here. And that's what makes it difficult, isn't it? Yeah, and again, it's about trying to put it on the mat, like we had a couple of young teams here today that came out with the players on to the pitch. Again, it's about getting that freedom, but yeah, you are right. If you look, you've got VCD-5 minutes down the road. You've got a lot of scaffold things around here. We've good budgets that, you know, can take players. So it is difficult, but, you know, what it's... A lot of it's about what you can do on the coaching pitch, as well, or what we can get into the players when we're working with them. So I'm happy in terms of the way the recruitment's gone so far. Still need to, you know, I'm not... Not even enough to think we don't need to get a few more food at all, but, you know, that's what we're working on doing. And just finally, you want to get that first one on the board as quickly as possible, and then build from there. That's what it's all about, isn't it? Getting that momentum and moving up the table. 100%, listen, today we've got the first goal, and that's the start. That's the starting point, because I didn't want to get to it again. Get beat to Neil again, and you're kind of looking, just get that goal, get that goal. And we know we can score. Again, we had a couple of other efforts that, you know, like we said, could have maybe gone on another day, go in. Different game. But yeah, it's a tough job. But it's something that we're looking forward to, and I think, you know, we're going to have a real crack at it. Defeats to lead the Rams out on Tuesday night as well, Trevor, but only by a goal to Neil. That's progress, I suppose, against the team who's won every game. It is just one point from 11 games for Phoenix. But I think I saw enough on Saturday to believe that that's not going to be the case for too long. Yeah, well, I spoke to you tonight on Saturday evening. I said, you know, were there a few flashes? And you said, yeah, there were in places, and, you know, Darren said exactly the same. It is interview as well. It's just the amount of players that they've got in. I mean, it's how quickly they gel. But when you look at the table as well, they pick up just a couple of wins. All of a sudden, they're dragging about seven or eight clubs in, you know, closer to them. And I think, you know, everyone was well aware at the beginning of the season of the budget cuts that forced, you know, Steve O'Baw to go. McKeeford Markham. I think a lot of people would have had Phoenix, probably in that bottom four or five. Now they've made the change. It's if they can get those players to perform as a team, you know, in good cohesion, there's a very good chance that they're not going to finish in any one of those bottom four spots. I think that's the thing, is that he, and Darren said it there, and he talks about how he had the experience of backing him last year. But you're trying to have a preseason in the middle of the season. That's where it's difficult, because you need them to gel. But there definitely were flashes. He had some good players. I liked a couple of the midfielders. I thought looked really good actually, settling in quite well and getting on the ball and things like that. And, you know, it's hard for everyone when a new manager comes in because the style of play might be slightly different. And obviously, new face have come in. So those that were already there will be feeling, you know, worrying about if they got a future at the club and having to adapt in the middle of the season. And when you start, as he did with a tough game at Little Hampton and then two tough home games as well against a home-based side who looked pretty decent, we'll talk about them more in a moment. And Ramsgate, we've been Smith was there on Saturday watching after their game was called off at East Grinstead. And, you know, Ramsgate have won all eight of their games. And I'm sure Darren won't mind me saying that everyone would have looked at that game and expected Ramsgate to win that four, five millions on Tuesday night. So actually, I think only losing one deal against Ramsgate shows that they're getting there already only in a matter of games. And Darren is a really lovely bloke, first and foremost. But also, the job that he did at Beckenham, all right, last year they did stay up and because of other teams elsewhere, but they did enough to be in that position where they were the next cab off the rank. And then the start they had this season, absolutely brilliant job. And I guess the only challenge for him now is he's gonna build his squad in the summer and thought these are really good players. And now those players are going to the top of the league and it's gonna be very hard to do the same thing when you're at the bottom. - It is, but I mean, as he said as well, in his interview, he's got the experience of doing that last year. When you look at the other sides that are around them at the moment, you've got Lance in who were in the playoffs last year, you've got highly finished halfway up and standing, standing a brand new. So a couple of those clubs there and maybe not used to being in that kind of position. So maybe he's got that a little bit, that little bit of help and experience in his armour. And as you said as well, losing only one deal to Ramsgate, who have been absolutely electric so far this year. I think you can build upon, you know, you weren't thumped. You know, like a lot of sides will be on the wrong end of that with Ramsgate this year. You know, once you've got a little platform to build on a foundation, it becomes a little bit easy to stop when you're building blocks on. - Yeah, and I think as he said in that interview there, he said, you know, got the first goal on Saturday. That's something to build on. You know, and that's what it all is. I think building blocks is a brilliant way to put it because no one expects them to go in and start winning games every week straight away and be flying up the table straight away. But it is just slowly building and making sure that you build up momentum so that when things are hard come January, February time, you've got the momentum to put a run of games together and then you can reel teams in and really have a good go at it from them. And I think, you know, Darren's got his head very much screwed on. He knows that it's a tough, it's gonna be a tough gig for them because the teams that they're up against in that league, there are some phenomenal sides in there. But I know that he has got it in him to go and rebuild and start moving that team up the table. It won't happen overnight and he knows that. But I think I'll be very surprised if they're still in the bottom four, come Easter. And I think that's a mark of Darren as a manager and the great work he's done in the past. - Yeah, I think you'll be looking as well at both sides there just around them as well because obviously for a while, Phoenix have played quite a few games more than everybody else similar to Beckham. And now everyone's starting to catch up by playing the midweek games down the round of the cups and that, you know, he'd be watching closely on those sides, probably from Seven Oaks, he's grinsed it downwards, just, you know, just keeping an eye on whether they're still within touching distance, you know, and all the time they are as well. That gives you that little bit of, you know, boost a little bit of oomph as well to think, yeah, we can do this and get up the table. - Have you ever been to Phoenix Sports? - I haven't, no, I haven't. - So it's my first visit there on Saturday. I mean, it was quite the, the schlep up through Crayford and everything like that, towards the outskirts of London to get up there. And I don't really like driving around that sort of area anyway. But eventually I got there and there was, I couldn't find that it was a park, so I was driving around for a little bit. And eventually I parked, it was only when I logged onto my footballogy app and I was in the ground. And it offered me the choice of what game are you at? Are you at VCD or are you at Phoenix? So I realized how close those two are. So I checked it on the map and actually I was part nearer to VCD than I was to Phoenix. And I reckon, I've got those two interviews done quickly enough. I'm probably going to run around the corner and see what he said he's been on the shoot out. - He probably could have done, funnily enough, I went to VCD last year. So I probably, I haven't been that far away from Phoenix then. - No, as I said to Darren though, I said, you know, it's difficult when you are a club like Phoenix, you know, with, there's a lot of houses around there, but also a lot of people who probably don't even know that they're there, you know. And it's quite a busy road that it goes along. And I've kind of used a couple of times. One of the people driven past this stadium tonight and not known that there's a game on and not known that Phoenix sports are there. And that's the challenge that these clubs in that area face, isn't it? That there's only a finite number of people who want to watch non-league football and get involved in non-league football in those areas. And like, a bit of a nightmare for them on Saturday, really when they're at home, VCD around the corner are also at home in the FA vase. Both those two teams probably competing for the casual watcher up that sort of area and maybe your ground opposite things. And I suppose a lot of people probably looked at it and thought, well, I'll go to VCD rather than go to Phoenix. And a hundred odd people in through the games, which isn't bad at all for Phoenix, but it's where the challenge is lie. It's just, especially in that area where there's a lot of clubs around there and it's how you get people to cover what's you the most, I suppose is the problem. - Yeah, it is very difficult. I mean, I've done my little bit down here, being a secretary and a treasurer of a cover club that's got, I think we've got something like six clubs within a two to five mile radius of each other. And you are, you are literally fighting for people. If you can, if you can make yourself stick out just that little 1% more than somebody else, you might get the extra 10 or 20 people. And again, it's what, you know, if those people through the game, that also helps the budget, you know, at the extra beer, the food and everything like that. And the competition is just, it is so, so fierce. And if you look at the clubs last year that had the fantastic FA Cup runs that have just added to it as well, they see such a competitive world. But I think one league's making far more strides than say maybe some of the EFL clubs as well in getting them out, getting themselves out there, getting their pricing right. And that just, you know, that'll bring those people in. And if you can, if you've got thriving, you've set up as well, you can get the kids in, the parents as well. That's where your next generation comes from. But it is having the volunteer base as well, which is, you know, we know diminishes year one year. It is a tough gig, but it's, you know, we love it. It's not league, it's great. - Absolutely, yeah. Herman Bay would also lose on Tuesday night. They lost four on a city one. Have a Steve Rogers Priest with the work in progress that he has at Winches Field. I started our chat by asking if it was a case of job done at Phoenix and Satif. - Yeah, you know, it's not an easy place to come. The pitch is like quite bumpy and boggy and, and they've got a new manager in and they've brought in nine new players, so it's never gonna be easy when you come to places like this. But, you know, I think we did our job professionally and got the win done and the only disappointing thing is second half, we could have had perhaps six, seven, eight goals, but we didn't. But, you know, you get the three points, that's what it's all about and that's the most important thing. - Because it was a challenge before today, say new manager, new players, real work in progress. And you could kind of see as the game went on, they grew into it a little bit, don't they? - Well, they did, they had to because it was three-nil down. You know, we done our work, we done our work three-nil up. There's no need for us to go and do any more. So we kept our shape and got them on the counter attack, which we did. And even at three-nil, we could have gone and scored another two or three goals because of that. There's no point going all gun hole and leaving yourself open at the back if, when you're winning three-nil, 'cause it's so easy can backfire on you. But, you know, we've got Jack, a young boy, Jack, it's right back, we had DC coming in the centre back. You know, Jack Potter, Liam Friend, we've, you know, we've got a few people out. So it's, you know, it was good though. It's good that we've got the youngsters on the bench and the boys that can come on and do a good job for us. - I was gonna say, you've got a bit of a mixture of youth and experience in there. And I suppose part of what you've got to do at home by the club is bring these young players through. - Yeah, you have. But it helps if you've got the experience on the pitch. And today, you have Kane, Roland, and Scott Heard, who are exceptional today. They've got the boys through, the young boys through. But it is, it's good experience for them. And, you know, it's the football level that we're at. And they've got, they learn, and they learn quickly. And, you know, if they do, then there'll be good players. - I suppose you're still almost playing catch-up in this league season so far. All your cupcakes, escapades. But I guess now you can sort of settle down and really focus on this league campaign. - Yeah, well, we always have done it. You know, we focus on every game that comes along. The next one now is a big one against sitting bone, who are flying high at the moment. So, you know, we'll go there and we'll give it our best shot. And, you know, you never know what will happen. We'll go there with confidence after the wins that we've had. So, yeah, it's another experience for us, you know, and it's not going to be easy. Definitely not going to be easy going there. They're an informed team at the moment. So, let's go there and enjoy the occasion and see if we can get a win. - And then back at home on Saturday against Sheppy as well. You know, they've had a decent start. They've lost their last couple. So, I suppose you'll be hoping that you can build more momentum. - Yeah, you never know. You never know what throws the game at you. You know, we go to high than lose 2-1, you know, and everybody expects us to go and win there. So, football is a funny game, as greasy used to say. And, you know, anything could happen in the game. But you're just going to make sure that you do your job and you get organized ready to play against whoever you play against. And that's what we'll do on Tuesday. - Obviously, generally speaking, you've got a lot of experience. You've been around the game for almost all of your life. You've still got that passion, that fire. And how does it work when you're a manager of a part-time team like Kurt and Bay? You know, how much of your time is spent on this club? - Quite a lot, actually. You know, not perhaps physically at the club, but you're on the phone. You talk to people all the time. You're talking to your players all the time to give them the information that they need to be better players. And, for me, it's always been about the players. You know, the club is a great club. Every club I've managed that or played at, you play for the club. But as a manager, you play for the players as well as the club. And if you improve the players, then you're going to improve the club. So, I'm a player's manager. I want to look after them and do what I can to help them improve the game. And if they move on to better things, then brilliantly. And, you know, I had six years of childhood in the academy and I've worked like Joe Gomez and Esri Conzer and people like this and Casey Palmer. There's loads of boys that I've seen go on and do great in the game. And it gives me great pleasure to see them playing on the telly in the Premier League when you know you've been a part of their journey. And it's the same goes to you. You know, if I can make some of these boys better players and play at a higher level, then you've done your job. I suppose it's different when you only see them a couple of times a week as opposed to every day, though. Yeah, it is difficult and that's the only thing. But then you've got to put in your knowledge to them by talking to them and making them understand what you want. You know, it's not, you know, it was easier drilling and being manager there. I had them in every day so I could work on things every day. But here you've got to really do it on the board. And, you know, it just shows if the boys have got a good football brain, they'll take it on and our boys have, they really take on what I try and teach them. And that's why they're doing so well at the moment. And it's great to hear your passion. I mean, I think we're freeing it up on the ref game of free kick and I heard you shout, that's a joke. And I'm like, you still got the passion. No, no, you have, you know, it's no point coming otherwise, it's no point coming. I'll always have that, you know, I'm aging a bit now, but I cannot see myself packing up football for a long, long time. So, because I love it so much and I love the people. You meet people, you meet different players and, you know, it's a part of football and I just love it. It's funny, this division looks a little bit wide open. There's a couple of strong teams at the top. I think those players places are right for grabs. Yeah, it's a long way to go. And as I say, we've only played, I think, seven games or something in the league. So, there's a lot of games to go. And perhaps, you know, around about the Christmas mark, we'll see where we are. But we keep going like we're doing. And I just, we just could avoid a few injuries, which we've got at the moment. And it'd be nice to get them boys back in amongst it. But at the moment, the boys were taking their place of doing a good job. So, we've got to continue like that. Interesting chat that one, Trevor. It's great to imagine, even at the age of 64, he probably won't thank me for saying that. He still has a massive passion for the game and improving his players. Oh, I love it. Yeah. I mean, that came across so well in his interview. You know, for a guy that's been a pro, you know, most of his life at Jillingham. You know, had a great career, a bit of Wales as well, and a couple of other clubs. But, you know, you can hear that, you know, you can just hear it in his voice, that he just loves being around. And not only club, he's still got the interaction with the players, you know, hurt by doing reasonably well so far this year as well. I'm, you know, I imagine he's got that hunger to be in the playoffs, you know, maybe even that one further for the title as well. But, yeah, I mean, even at, you know, at his age, a lot of people are thinking of, you know, packing up work. And I'm going to the allotment. But Steve Love was wanting to be on a touchline in Kent, or separate your Sussex somewhere, if you said today. No, he does also like the golf course, Steve Love, I'm aware of that. But I thought was releasing what he was saying about his passion for bringing young players through. And obviously mentioned some of the names that he's worked with in the past. And it was interesting to have that sort of conversation about when you work with a player every day, as opposed to when you see them twice a week, what's the difference? But he still believes in those players. And, you know, there's some good young players on display for her. But he got some older heads around, obviously, Scott Hurd and Kane Rowland, who's still in his mid-20s or late-20s now, possibly. But he's played hundreds of games at this level. And he seems to be melding together quite well that youth and experience. And I think that bodes well, because we talk about what a club needs to do. And if you've got young players, especially local young players, the people can get behind, that could only be good for the club. Yeah, it's definitely what you need these days. One of the games I've been at quite recently, one of the teams had a very young side, their experienced players are out injured. And you can just see that lack of confidence in knowing when to play the right pass and getting the right space and that for a shot at goal. But it's so crucial as well, you know, in non-legal, though you've got a lot of players that are dropping down levels from, you know, from the programme, from the National League all the way down. You need that, you feel exuberance as well, which then helps, I say, helps those experienced players. It gives them almost like an extra lease of life as well, to feel that they can still play, they can still contribute. And you can blend the two together in any squad you've got in, you know, in the issuing league, in the National League, in the southern counties, each league as well. You've got a better chance, I feel, of getting yourself up the table. You've got a little bit of stability and the best of both worlds. Yeah, and I think home base is actually a pretty good place to be. You know, they're one team town and they've got obviously a good experience manager, and obviously his boy Mark's there as well, who knows the game, has been through the process and everything like that. And I just think there was something nice about seeing them. And I watched the second half on the touchline, pretty much a half way, and being that close to the pitch and hearing the interaction of the players and stuff. And you could see there were some young lads playing for home base, but they were enjoying the game and they're learning the game well, under a very good manager. Yeah, and I think as well, you know, Steve will be pleased if he can get one or two of those, that actually go on to bigger and better things as well, especially having had the pro career that he had. That'll be what he wants for his young players as well. It'll be a very good place at the moment to go and play some football. From what I remember, he was a very, very good player in his day as well, that liked the ball on the deck, you know, as well. And I mean, they're in a very, very, very tough division. You know, you can't make any bones about that. But the amount of games they've got in hand as well, if they can win those as well, it really puts them in the mix. But, you know, as you said, there's some big clubs in there, there's some big budgets. You know, it's not going to be easy. But look as if they're progressing on the right route. Yeah, I think for hand bales, obviously they got promoted a few years ago, and everything seemed to go wrong off the pitch for them first and foremost, and that led to problems on the pitch as well. But I think they stabilized well last year, and now they're in a good position. I was chatting to a home by a fan after the game. I didn't get his name, actually, but he was, you know, a big fan of the show, which always makes me happy anyway. But he was saying, you know, we've got a good team and we're enjoying watching the games. And that's the most important thing, you know, that they get that enjoyment and supporters, they can go and see a team that they enjoy watching, and they get to know the people that are around there. And I think that's really, really good for them to be there. And I think, you know, home by, as I say, they got promoted. It didn't work out, but they're back on a level footing. They're almost back where they were before they got promoted, and they were brilliant when they got promoted in that season under Ben Smith. But they're back where they probably where they probably should be. But I think they're now in a better position to stabilize and then look to grow rather than everything happening so quickly as it did last time. I think they're more ready to be promoted now than when they actually were promoted what three years ago. Yeah, and when you've got those foundations in places where it makes it that little bit easier that when you do make that step up, you know, that there's a very good chance that you'll be able to stabilize yourself just enough in that division to stay there and then to push on again, because those foundations were in place like you said. It was a little bit messy when they got promoted and possibly a bit quicker than they expected. And if you're not ready off the pitch, well, you might be ready on the pitch. The two have got to work in tandem to be able to work and have a really successful club. And like you say, it appears now that, you know, under Steve Lovell there, they sound on the pitch, they sound off the pitch. And that's the kind of thing that actually, you know, give you that extra edge to get promoted. Yes, elsewhere on Saturday. Deal on a thriller for three years. Merston, Ashford two on winners at Eastbourne Town. Beckham now under Dell Oldfield, one new winners at Lansing to stay top of the table. It was near and near between seven eggs near the town. Margaret one three two at Shepherd United, and Sissy Montthrash hired six nil before. She's not Ashford, beat Lansing three one. Margaret one by the same score at Irrit Town, and Shepherd United beat Little Hampton two nil. In the league on Saturday, it's Becklin against Deal, Irrit Town hosts Broadbroughty, Turnbull against Shepherd United. Margaret are home to Eastbourne Town, Phoenix sports go to Merston, Ramsgate are home to Burgess Hill, seven eggs go to Stenning, for a Tuesday, Ashford are home to Becklin, and Deal go to Little Hampton. Ramsgate take on seven oaks, sitting more at home to Stenning as well. Benjamin said the other week he thinks Burgess Hill or a team will be up there. So I'm sure Trevor that will be a good game. Yeah, I absolutely listened to that last week. I'd echo his comments at the same time too. I think that the only side is Sussex at the moment that seem to be showing any metal, Ashford say, to be in a promotion. But I thought they recruited really well in the summer, which is shown in their performances so far. It'd be nice for me if one or two other Sussex clubs could kind of make their way out the table towards them as well. But it starts there trying to break the pimp monopoly a little bit. Well, we don't want that to happen, so don't know. Last and by no means least, it's the Ismaili Premier division. And words that I wondered if I would ever say again. Dover Athletic are top of the league. In case you think you've ever heard that, I will say it again. Dover Athletic are top of the league. They'll be hashtag United42 on Saturday in front of a crowd of 2,732 on the clubs community day. They've got 23 points with 11 games. They lead the table from Billericki on goal difference, the like for their long-suffering supporters. And after the game, one of those long-suffering supporters spoke to White's goals for George Nickage. Yeah, it's been a great start. I think the boys are really dual together and yeah, you can see the performances on the pitch. We're grinding up results and we've had rough patches. And now today, it was our day sort of thing in front of goal. It's a good feeling, yeah. Good feeling as well in front of a fantastic crowd, 2,700 as well. They've all gone home happy. Really? I didn't realise that much. No, it's brilliant. Like of course, more fans come here, a bit atmosphere crazy, and more exciting for the players on the pitch. You personally, it's been a fantastic start to season, 12 goals in 11 games. What can you, the reason behind you're up taking form? I think it's just more relaxed in front of goal. I was really desperate to impress and especially manager. And stuff like that in front of goal last season. And I was so desperate for that goal. And this season, I've just sort of calmed myself down in front of goal, just take my time and stuff out. I'm more relaxed than composing in front of goal. And I think that's the reason why I'm getting the goals this season. They say confidence is a big thing in football. Is that a real case? I don't think it's confidence because I've always believed in myself. Last season, I was getting the chances. I was just rashly in front of goal, sort of snapping chances and stuff like that. This season, I'm more relaxed than my goals. So I think that's the main reason for that. Let's talk about your goal there. You mentioned earlier, you get some tap-ins, but that's a 30 yarder in the top corner. Yeah, I thought there were so many outside the box. All my goals this season have been inside it. So yeah, it's a nice feeling when I've come inside. I tried it in the first half, I'm sending it. Rose said the night, so it's a good feeling that we went back in the net, yeah. Team's top of the table. You don't get anything from being top of the table at the end of October, but what's the feeling like within the camp? Well, for me personally, I've been in four years this first time that I've been top of the table. So yeah, it's a great feeling, a long way to continue. What's the feeling the cycling gang bounce back and get promoted? Well, I don't want to say something too early, because again, it's only October, but the way that the team's jelly and the way the team's playing for the manager and stuff like that, why can't we do it? That's the thing that I'm thinking. I don't want to put a lot of pressure on the boys, but yeah, I think the direction we go in is positive and make a long way to continue, like I said. How important is that? The back to back you've been involved in now, those back to back allegations. How nice is it to be in a winning team? Brilliant, it's the best feeling in the world. Like, it was doom and gloom sort of last season, like, especially near the back of the season when we were relegated. And yeah, this season just been a complete like change of atmosphere. I think from the gaffer, it starts from the gaffer, trying to spread positivity around the club. And then it starts from the friends as well. Fans are right behind us for minute one to minute 90 sort of thing. So it's brilliant that there's this, like, back in from everybody in the community, and we're showing it on the pitch with it. To the manager, Jack Lebel, you know, he knows what this club is. He's grown up on these terraces. He wants to do well as well, doesn't he? Yeah, 100%. He's a local lad like myself. And like, we both want the best for the club. And the best for the club is to get promoted sort of thing. So yeah, it's buzzing for Jake as well, that this is a club that Jake really cares about, and I'm a proper passionate about. And he shows what he's doing. So yeah, great. 12 goals this season, have you set yourself a target for the end of the season? No, no target. Just keep going, take it again by a game. And hopefully, long may it continue that I've put the ball in the back of the net. You could hear the party atmosphere behind them, a great day with David Trevor. And a brilliant start to the season of both the team, and that young man who's got 12 goals, who's named already. Yeah, been really good. I'm pleased for Matt. You know, I listen to the poll every week, and to have your club go through the mill like that for the last couple of years, you have to celebrate the small wins as well. But yeah, listen to George's interview. I didn't realize actually he was there last season. And listening to what he was saying about last season, it didn't quite go for him this year. It has no potentials for last year, because they were so desperate to get points, desperate to get wins that are strike. Because you snatch your chances rather than possibly this year. Although they're playing at a lower level, you've still got to find the net. But maybe that's just a little bit more composed, because the team are playing well. And that generates the confidence and the composure to be able to put the ball in the back of the net, but 12 goals so far is a fantastic return. We're not even at the end of October yet. I think being exposed to the level of football that he has been, has probably benefited in this season as well. Because it is a step down between the National South and the Espin League. And I guess he's reaping the benefit of that, because of the experience that he's had last season. And as I say, 12 goals. I was impressed with him when I saw them in the FA Cup that's sitting on early this season, even though obviously disappointing day for the team. And for him, really. But you could tell he's got something about him. And very level-headed there as well. And not set himself a goal target, not getting carried away. I think that the support, who they let interview him there, is possibly getting a bit carried away. But it's fantastic for Dober. And I said last week on the show, you can have a big crowd in, a massive crowd in. It was the biggest crowd for several years, I think, for Dober. 2,700 people. But the important thing was to get a result. They got a result. Nick Ash scored a scream. I had some Harrison Potts scored a screamer as well. Those people would have gone home happy. And in the long run for Dober, that result could be massive. Because the people who don't normally come will think, "Oh, it's all right out there. We'll go again." Yeah, that's exactly what you want when you have that kind of thing. I've said it happened so often, like clubs put an offer on, get a massive, great crowd in. And then it's a really damn scream of a performance. And then you sit there wondering, "Are those people going to come back?" You know, to have 2,700 in a crabble. The place must have been creaking at the joints, I think. Having not seen that for quite a few years. But again, Jay LaBelle's done an excellent job in the summer, getting the players in. But he needed to mount the challenge. I looked at the pair of them Dober and Darford. When people were doing their predictions in the summer. And a lot of people had both of them up there. And I wasn't convinced on either. Just by the way, Dober had been the last two years, the way Darford have dropped. Dober had proven me very wrong at the moment. Darford proved me very right at the moment. But this way football goes sometimes. Yeah, and I definitely said at the end of the first episode of the season, I think Matt put me a bit on the spot until I'll make a couple of predictions for the season. And I very confidently said Darford won't win the league. And losing 3-2 at home to Wingham Finchley on Saturday. Not helping their calls. There were 3-0 down as well in that one before they fought back. Elsewhere, Folkston did win 1-0 at Camp Yard. And Chatham came from 2-0 down to get a point, as Potters Bar. Cray owners do no-no at home to Hastings. And they followed it up with the Neil Neudrow against Whitehawk on Tuesday night. But I have missed the game out there from Saturday. It's Cray Valley PM 1-3-2 at Bogglery. Just another game you were at, Trevor, at fifth in the table. Just three points off the top. What an effort so far from Steve McKimm and his side. Yeah, brilliant. Really, really good. Obviously, I'll do a bit of program live for Cray Valley. I've known Steve McKimm for quite a few years as well. But yeah, they do it fantastically after their promotion. They were excellent on Saturday first, first half. If the footage is out there, Freddie Parker's hat trick. If you watch his second goal, the way he cushioned the header into the into the net past Ryan Hall, and then his third goal. We just flipped it over the top of Calvin Davis. I think it wasn't there from a cute angle scored. They were electric for half an hour. It looks a little bit closer to the score line than it actually was. Bogglery did come out second half and really, really tried. But you know, Cray just sat there, sat in the lines, defended really well, really deserved the three points. I haven't seen them this season, but it seems like it's not too dissimilar from last season's squad. And it's full credit to Steve McKimm and I know obviously, a lot of the players that he had last season were probably players that you would say would be comfortable at this level. But still to bring a team up, not add too much to it and be performing as they are is a brilliant achievement. Yeah, I mean, it's the second time I saw them in this year. I saw them in the Cray Derby earlier in the season, the first one at Flamingo Park. And knowing Steve as I know, he'll give those players a chance. If they don't perform, he will bring someone else in. And so far, he has relied pretty much on the same score. He has bought in two or three extras. And if someone becomes available that he thinks can improve a squad like he's bought in Fermi Shimoutin from, is he at the Alford? Yeah, on the moment, he thinks he can, he'll add something to the squad. He won't hesitate to bring him in. I was standing quite close to the dugout on Saturday in the first half. And he doesn't let up. He doesn't let up at his players. He demands the maximum, which is why they ran Ramsgate all the way last year. And why they've won six out of their first 11 this year? But I mean, I've seen three points off of, you know, some big clubs. You don't have athletic should be the rookie town. They've got Dalich Hamlet, you know, in their slipstream at the moment. He can't really ask for much more at the moment. No, when you think that Cray Valley as a club were in step five in 2019, you know, the way that they've gone about it, and obviously, bringing Steve in was a massive step in the right direction. But even so, he needs the backing from everybody at the club to be going in the same direction as him to make everything his success. It's great to manage his years. And, you know, the board have backed him. He's delivered on every single front. And it is an amazing achievement for Cray Valley to be where they are. It is. They've got a really great team off the pitch as well. I know Frank, Frank Bicherman very well. You know, he's ambitious, but he knows that, you know, they are still a small club in quite a big pond. But, you know, that doesn't stop them trying to achieve or over achieve, you know, and have some ambitions to do well. But, you know, they've used their cut money wisely to make some improvements to the ground as well. They've got some, you know, they're going to get some big crowds coming in this year with some of the sides that will visit them. They've got the, I know they've got the second leg of the Cray Valley, coming up in a couple of weeks' time as well. You know, so, but one of those clubs that you want to watch out for now, because that, you know, that progressive, some of the, you know, they'll, they'll upset some apple parts along the way against some of the more established clubs that will be thinking, like, you know, who these new boys, you know, on the block. But that's a little bit of football as well. You want people to aspire to better. You want people to improve themselves. And, you know, Cray Valley are really trying their hardest to do that. Yeah, just the one game in that division on Saturday, Cray Wanderers travel to Chessins. The rest of our sides are focused on the FA trophy. Only one of our teams is at home. That is Stova Athletic, who got a rematch with their FA Cup Conqueror City Board. While focusing head to Barton Rovers, Chatham go to Bowers and Pitsy. Cray Valley had to Brentwood. That's Brentwood, Michael. And Ashwood will take on Lewis, who are currently third in the history and premiere. National Southside will join the competition in the next round, which will be drawn on Monday. I think my views on the early stages of the FA trophy are well known. And what do you think of it, Trevor? Honey, I've, I've had a conversation the last few years as well of people saying, is there room for another competition in between for clubs at step three and four? Because literally like you go from being in the FA files and a good chance of getting to Wembley, and if we're overly honest, the clubs in the southeast division, the north and the south, the Ishmael, they haven't got a prior play of actually getting to Wembley. It's really tough. And I think the other thing, especially for our Kent side's point of view, is that every cup competition they go into in that league, in the southeast league, they haven't really got much of a chance of winning it, because they're in the Ishmael League Cup, which take as much from that as you want. But they're in with teams in a step above. You've got the FA trophy, they haven't got a chance of winning that. They've got the FA Cup, obviously none of our teams win the FA Cup. That's fine. You've also got the Kent Senior Cup, which has drilling them in it. You know, so a step four side, a step three side, you've got to find it harder win the Kent Senior Cup as well. And I think that's, yeah, it's really difficult for those teams, because they need to focus on the league. And if you have a bad league season and you don't get any cup runs, it must hurt your revenue a little bit. Yeah. And then obviously, you know, your Saturday league games are then moving to a Tuesday night, where your attendances are going to be less. It's going to be October, November, December, when you play those games as well. They do lose out a heck of a lot. You know, that's why a few people have said, you know, why not put a competition in which they can actually have a chance of winning? The thing is, is where do you put the final? Even though you've got enough clubs, you know, that can enter it. It's difficult. The trophy doesn't bring in a lot of money either, you know, however far you get in it. It is difficult, it is difficult, and it's how much resource you put into it. How far you really want to go? I mean, Cray Valley didn't do too bad last year, so they came up against They started really early again in the qualifying rounds, but it's that impact it has on your league position as well. It's tough, it's a conversation, always is, it's where it'll ever change. Yeah, that is the thing. Well, that is it for the football chat. I nearly finished Slow Horses last weekend. We've got one to go. Absolutely brilliant. What a great programme, as always. Shrinking is also about this week, so that's a good one. And I know, Trevor, you're always saying that you rely on Matt and me for television recommendations. Have you brought one for me this week? Well, I've been watching Joan. All right. That's on ITV. I'm not sure if it's actually we've been streaming it, so we've sort of like been trying to fit in amongst me being out of football and writing about football, which doesn't give us a lot of time. But yeah, we've watched that. I think we've got one more episode to go. It's actually not been too bad. A couple of people said it's a bit of a slow burner. Basically, you set around things about the '80s. So if you like your little throwbacks and retro stuff, it's worth having to watch. Excellent. Thank you very much. I did promise you that you'll be able to plug all of your things. We've got plenty of time, so off you go. Right, let's start at the beginning. Right, the blocking, if anybody wants to find it, is www.footballwriting.co.uk. You've got choices of subscriptions paid or free. I do a piece every Friday called the Friday 3B, which if you're on X, so if you like to call it Facebook or Instagram, you'll find me plugging it all over there. And there's the eight pieces a month for paid subscribers. So if you want to part with a fiver and read some wonderful non-league writing, that should be a place to go. I've got my own Barnet blog as well, which is travelnell.substack.com. I'm not expecting to find too many Barnet fans down in Kent, although there are a couple that actually do travel up that I know. So they are around, they may well listen to the pod. I don't know. And my latest blog, see the program columns I do as well. If anybody does want to get in touch, drop me an email, travelk31@sky.com, or find me on twitter/x @trevk37. Open to any non-league club. I've actually got two well away this year, one down in Brickson and lower brick up near Liverpool have joined this year, and actually deal with town or a new edition this year as well. Get in touch with those clubs, Gleeb, Corinthian, and Cray Valley as well, written for those for a few years. If you want to find out what it's all about, I do charge for it literally because every column is unique. No one gets the same over the entire season. Might be the same topic, but no one gets the same words. He's a completely individual, you can do whatever you like. Once you've got the column, share it wherever you like. And the last bit is the new venture that I set up in the summer, which is for Sussex non-league clubs. So we cover from the National League South down to the Southern Combination Division 1, that's 56 clubs, which is www.dslf.co.uk. We also have a podcast as well, which like this one that John and Matt do, we do weekly as well. Our format's slightly different. We have one special guest on every week, and obviously round up what our clubs do as well. We have a team of the week award and a team of the month award, which the clubs actually get a trophy to keep at the end of the month. But we choose the four weekly winners, and then we put those into a poll, and we let Twitter choose so we don't get the final decision of who it is in case anyone doesn't like it. So we've also got a few more bits planned with that. We've only literally been online since July this year, so we kind of fell into the middle of pre-season. But the podcast is out similar to this one on all the podcast platforms. If you'd like to go and give it a listen, it would be fantastic. That's if you want to listen about Sussex football, when you're from Kent, possibly not. Absolutely. Well, at least people know that you're there, which I still find after, what, 310 episodes of this, and what we can do this is 2017. I still find people go, "Oh, what's that?" People don't know that we're there. So it's really important that people spread the word, and I always say, you know, the massive thing is spreading the word. If you like something that you hear on this show, tell your friends, tell someone who'd be interested, share it on social media, and it's exactly the same with Trevor's stuff. I'll subscribe to Trevor's blog, and it's nicer. I just get an email pop in whenever you put a blog post up, which is always nice, and he actually says some very nice things about me last week as well, but that's not, let's not get too cut away with that. But it's so important, and I always say, we're nothing without the listeners. So if you're involved in a club and we get your club on, make sure and tell you wait. Make sure that it gets tweeted out by your club or retweeted or whatever, because we appreciate the support. Because if we just sat here and just did this, and no one shared it, it'd be an absolute waste of time. But you can find us on social media. We are on TwitterX @Kenden in a podcast. We are on Facebook as well. Search for "Kenden only" podcasts. Also search for the group "Kenden only" football chats. Get involved. There are lots of good chat going on in there. People sharing their stories of where they're going and things like that, which is always good. See us on Instagram and threads @Kenden only podcast. Trevor, thank you very much for joining me. Have you enjoyed yourself? Yeah, loved it. Thank you very much for having me on. Really, really good. And we're actually recording our next pod tonight. So we'll mention that we've been on here and give yours a little shout out as well. Absolutely, good bit of cross promotion. That's what everybody wants. At the end of the day, Ken or Sussex, we all just love non-league football. And that's what's all important. Well, thank you. Everybody for listening to this week's show. Thank you so much again to Trevor Nell for joining us. Don't forget to follow him and get involved in all of his stuff. And as I always say at the end of the show, I wonder what Matt Gerard's thinking of it all. If I think hard enough, maybe he will appear. But in the meantime, thank you everybody for listening. And we will speak to you next week on the Kent only podcast. If Carlsberg did Wednesdays, I'm not getting carried away. I'm over to a great, great, great news on holiday. It's 25 degrees. I've been reading my book. I'm chilled. So all you know, sorry I can be on this week's show, John. But hey, looking out on a marina in front of beautiful yachts, there's one place I'd rather be rather than talking to you on a Wednesday cold evening. But there you go. Don't forget, over to the top of the league, I'm not getting carried away. I'm not getting carried away.

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