The Kent Non-League Football Podcast

Kent Non-League Podcast - Episode 309

Recorded partly on location at Sevenoaks, we've got another packed show for you this week with four interviews and some tip-top chat. Tonbridge Angels fans will get the chance to watch their side in the stadium in the FA Cup first round for the first time in 50 years - boss Jay Saunders discusses what that means to him and his players after their win at Cray Wanderers. His opposite number Neil Smith reflects on a strong showing from his side against their higher-league opposition, and discusses the challenges in the league so far this season. Sevenoaks boss Marcel Nimani is pleased after his side held on for a point against Sittingbourne and talks about the project at the club and his path to management. And Sittingbourne manager Ryan Maxwell gives his view on that draw, plus talks about the travelling Brickies fans and the strenght of the Isthmian South East. We've got all the rest of the action from across the county and a look ahead to the FA Vase this weekend, as well as loads more besides.

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Duration:: 1h 20m
Broadcast on:: 17 Oct 2024
Audio Format:: other

(upbeat music) - On this week's show, threw in the FA Cup and they've got a good tie as well. We hear from Tuberge Angels boss, Jay Saunders. - I'm delighted for everyone, essentially I'm with the club. And I think I say most of them look, the support was there and they're delighted. It's great to see. - This appointment for Cray Wanderers is they come up short and bossed us with the mitts. He's got a big task on his hands at Flamingo Park. - This is the biggest challenge I've ever had because here you've got four guys that are actually putting their own money and you can't expect it to last on that. - Fighting back to get a point against much fancy city ball, we hear from seven weeks boss Marcel Mnamani. - Paul and the board are very ambitious in building this new infrastructure and I think once we build the new infrastructure, he'll be a better place to host people and that's the ambitions of them to grow the fan base. - And two points dropped for the Brookies but boss Ryan Maxwell is upbeat about his size progress. - Well they've been ruled out and I say we've done how are they to try and get the same go over they've also defended well. (upbeat music) - Hello everyone and welcome to this week's episode of the Kent Only podcast, sponsored by Sandwich Town Youth FC who bought gallantly before a three-year weekend loss against the Man City of East Kent. It was a fascinating weekend of FA Cup escapades and we're getting it from both managers at one of our block busting ties and hopefully two other managers as well. I'm Jeff Hips, who's live on location in soggy seven oaks tonight. Another line now is a man who's dusting off his shorts ahead of a return to summer weather next week. 24 degrees I'll read you Lucky Bugger, Matt Gerard. - Yeah. - I mean the fact of 30, ready? - Yes, well my wife said basically I haven't done anything. I think by the time I come back from football and essentially I'll all be packed. So I'm sure she's got it under control because she's very good like that. Raining in seven oaks is lovely down here. I know it was a joke, it was lovely at home. Like it was absolutely fine. And I thought it was a sensible thing to do. You know, go up and watch the game, get some interviews, enjoy it, you know, cut the people here to have a chat too, perfect. And then just as I was drawing through Tumbridge Wells it started absolutely hammering it down. And then when I got here it wasn't raining so I didn't even bring a coat with a hood and then the heavens absolutely opened after about five minutes here. And obviously because I'm doing a podcast I can't go understanding the stands with all the other people. So if you've ever been to greatness park when you walk in, if you walk to the far, if you walk through the turnstiles then turn right and go to the furthest floodlight, that is exactly where I'm standing, living the dream on a wet Wednesday night. I've got a funny suntown lotion story actually, man. So when we went to Spain in August, I bought some suntown ocean, feebort some suntown lotion. And we only used like two bottles. So we had a couple of bottles left over. And I promise you I hadn't touched this bottle of suntown lotion all week. When we get to the airport and go to security at Mercia, I'll get stopped my bag. I was liquid in here. I was like, shouldn't be? And help pops a brand new unopened factor 20 suntown lotion. And he just took a look who went, well, he can't take that and the flame put it in the bin. What a waste of money. And the thing was I don't even know what he got there. Unless he was in that bag on the way over 'cause now they have light and the rules a little bit on that in the UK at the moment. But I thought I've got no idea how it got there. - It's shocking, Matt. - I was gonna ask that. Do you still have to put your toiletries if they're in your handle hodel baggage or plain, what's not the right word, it's the hand baggage. - Hand baggage? - Hand baggage. - Do you still have to show that now? - I thought they changed it. - I think we still had to put it all in the bags and stuff, but I think what they might have changed is how much you can take 'cause it was 100 mil limit. But I think they might have relaxed that now. Somewhat 20 plus years after they started bringing it in. So yeah, we shall see. But yeah. - So I'm going somewhere nice and warm. Look at it, it's 24 degrees, Portugal. I've never been there before. So it's a new country for me to go to. Quite looking forward to it. It's not a week at work. And it should be good. So I go Sunday and back Sunday. So we should be able, I should be able to, have you do at least a small pod next weekend, you know what I mean? Or next week, sometimes on that basis on the phone. - Well, we'll have that conversation off there 'cause I don't think it listens care that much though. - No, it's a joke. And a half seven gig of John. - I know. - Are you even in them these days? - You don't. And I'll tell you what is, it's quite nice actually. I mean, I did get here as his custom at seven 28. But that was because I had to stop off and have a wee on the way at Tesco's in Pembery. Always the high lot of any trip. And then yeah, just got here literally just as it was about to kick off from all we see in Andrew Giddley who thanked me again for the shout out that we gave you a couple of weeks ago. And I believe Trevor's here as well. So I'll be chatting to him during the second half and the rain is definitely easing off here. The current score, by the way, is 1-0 to Cityborne. They've just had a corner which has gone right across the face of golf. But we'll talk more about this game. - Well, if you can't view it in the ball hitting you in any way. - Slim, I would say. I mean, I'm level with the penalty spot on the right wing at Cityborne are attacking. So, you know. - No, I've done it on your side, is he? - The lines on my side, yeah, I was, he's, I've already had him set up a time, didn't sign up for this when he was talking about the rain. But yeah, he's just ran off in front of me. So yeah. I do what he's entertaining though. There is a bloke, a Cityborne fan, who has decided not to pay his 10 pounds to get in tonight. And he's up on the hill behind the stadium. I believe from his singing and the brief glimpse ahead of him, he's wearing a sombrero and he keeps singing, "I've got a bird's eye view." - So he's having a nice time up there. - Do you know where he's sitting in Cityborne, is he? - Yeah, he's sitting in Cityborne songs, yeah. So he's a Cityborne supporter. - Is there many other Cityborne fans there? - There's a few dotted around, yeah. I mean, there's only one other gent behind the goal. Was there two, there's two gents behind the goal. And I think many may have, many of taking cover in the stands here at Greatness Park. But you've not been here for a while, we've not been here before. It's a nice place to grab a foot. But I think this is my third visit here. I haven't seen seven oaks against Cray Wanderers and seven oaks against Becklin. I normally come here at the start of the year. So really they can cut themselves lucky that I've decided to come out in October, can't they? - It's when you've been there, this is a donkey. I think the mates don't want to get leagues. I'll show you how long ago that was. - That's fine. - But they've still got a massive sort of pitch next door. Look, yeah, three G there, nice little ground, nice area, seven oaks there, isn't it? Very nice. - Oh yeah, definitely. I think the frustrating thing is, you know, the club and they want more people from the town to get behind them and, you know, they're definitely doing things the right way. And I'm sure when they're winning games, the football people will come and watch, you know, and they'll change the seven oaks, reckon. - I don't know and I'm on the phone and it's raining. - Right, no, I'm going to find that out. Yeah, what I put is the interest in the city. I reckon quite, it must be quite a big connovation. Is that the word? - Yeah, I suppose it's not too bad. I don't know really. - 120,000. - That's right, it's massive, well, where are they? As Delia Swift once said, where are you? - Yeah. - If you are listening, seven oaks, do come down here and watch again football 'cause it's a good place to watch a game. And as I say, when is he not football? - He's got one percent. He should be getting one percent there, but I suppose there is other things that people might want to do in season but we don't have the teams, but 120,000, that is good. - That's massive. The seven oaks massive. - He says, in 2021, he said, had a population density of around 2.3 people, football pitch side area. This is one of the lowest 35% of population densities across England, local authority areas. - Blimey. - What a fact that is. - That is quite the fact. The city one just hit the crossbar, by the way. Troy Howard's cross has just gone in and got over the keeper and fit the top of the crossbar. Anyway, it's our 309th episode this weekend. Oh, I've got a treat for you this week. Not one of the last songs that Johnny Cash ever recorded, like the 309, which apparently is named after a train, but a Turkish romantic comedy series. Now, let me share the premise with you. In a video played after his death, an elderly millionaire speaks to his entire family. In it, he declares that the first grandchild to marry and have a child will get to share of the family company. And one of them then hooks up with a girl stays in the 309 and we're going to live with you as a one-night stand because later on, she's pregnant, they end up getting married just to get the money. It's taken longer to read than I lasted watching it, to be honest, because in the nicest way possible, there's a fair amount of overacting in the first scene with a lot of music behind the words. And I'll be honest, not too many laughs. Since, did you like a Turkish rom-com map? No, I have to say, it's probably something that Netflix are probably going to write remakes with some superstar, I would have thought. Something sounds like something that could be remakes Netflix starring Ryan Reynolds or something like that. It's not a bad premise, but as I say, that I had English subtitles on it and I wasn't chortling. And it was like-- - You've been on YouTube, was it? - It was on YouTube, yeah, so if you search for a route for 309, the comedy series Turkish, it will come up. - Is the equivalent of gathering in Stacey, is it, in Turkey? - Yeah, only without the laughs and I'm guessing without the massive Christmas day special to come. Let's get on with the show then. And we will start with the FA Cup where there was one upset and one non-upset in our two all-cantise. Let's start with the upset then, where despite Matt's confidence of progression from Street United in their game at the Gallagher, it was last year's FA Cup heroes, Maidstone, who made it through with a three-nil win over the side bottom of the National League. A trip to Solihull Mall's not the ideal reward for another FA Cup first round appearance, but Maidstone, we delighted with that nonetheless and always nice to get one over a local rival, I suppose. - Yeah, I felt that it was a bigger game for Evsleeve to maybe kickstart their season, but it's gone the other way by getting absolutely drilled by Maidstone, who seem to have turned a corner a bit now after I saw them and there was a little bit of the poor start they had to the season. And to me, this may be season like a season that when Maidstone got promoted three or four years ago under Hackenhae Redding, this could be the season. They found a good way of form. It's finally worked out these best team, but for Evsleeve, I would say that's a real concern of the issues they've got. - The things it's not just that they lost, it's that they lost three-nil. If you lose one-nil to the goal that Clee didn't go over the line, then you can take some heart from it, but it's at least three-nil with one of the goals that Clee didn't go over the line. Then that's, it's the manner of the defeats. It's got to be concerning, Trevsleeve, because they've gone out there and they stayed up last season just about. They obviously backed Danny Searle, didn't work out for him. They made the change early, got on winning that first game, but then they seem to have stagnated under the new manager and not picked up the results and not had the new manager bounce that we all start to talk about. And that's the worrying thing, as I say, you can lose that one-nil and say, "Oh, yeah, bad day at the office, you know, beaten by a side who will bang up for it." But three-nil will entertain in the league below. It's not a good look, is it? - It's not. And I don't really know where they're going to go from here. They have got a big squad, haven't they? I think one of their issues is that maybe they're big squad too much, too many players, the new manager you're going to try and get out of it. Maybe he's going to work out and see what he can do to work through that. Maybe they could use it. Just don't know where it's gone wrong. Is it the transfer dealings in the summer with by Danny Searle and that's what he's left with, to deal with those players what he's got? I didn't see them struggling. I thought this was the kickstart now for them to be a top 10 club, get into the playoffs with the investment they've got, with the squad you think on paper they've got. But yeah, it just seems to be not good. And we're looking at the two games they've got coming up this week. It's going to be really, really tough. You think to get any points out of that. And then they're going to be covered with drift. I think in the moment, they're quite kind of drift, as it is. I think, aren't they so? In the moment, there's seven points inside the drop zone, with a quarter of season gone. Not a good look for every sleep in the moment. All the time they wanted to get out of National South. They don't want to return after two and a bit seasons back into it. They used to lack of goals, isn't it? That's the big concern. And obviously, Polly on and Bingham have scored a lot of goals in the last couple of years. But I haven't scored many this season. They are key men and if the goals aren't coming, then simply you're not going to win games or football. And even when they had a clean sheet, the win they had was one, Neil wasn't it? It's about getting those chances and taking those chances and creating those chances. And for whatever reason, it's just not happening to them in the final third. And ultimately goals are what we matches. Yeah, I just don't know how if you just sort of, maybe, you know, as I said, they've got a big squad. Haven't got a goal score, Polly on. That was an international duty to play last week. Bingham's a key player, but missing something. Maybe they can use the loan market. And I think, you know, the new manager has got a background in sort of youth football. He might know a bit more, but it is a bit concerning. And you feel that anything at these next two games will be an absolute bonus for them. So it's going to be a long hard season to get out of this. Probably look at records. If you're bottom of the table at this time, seven points this season, it's going to be very difficult to get out of it. So they need to find some form and find it fast. But the portal they got from the Maystone fan, they absolutely batted, absolutely. You know, and a couple of chances. But if you don't take the chances and your confidence is low, you're going to end up going to get punished when you don't actually physically take your chances. Yeah. And I think, as you said, they were under a lot of pressure there at the Gallagher on Saturday. And to go and lose that game, I was disappointed with them. But the light, obviously, for Maystone, lastly, they had a great run of FA Cup, Jordan. They kept getting league teams at home or teams part of the pyramid at home. Now they've pulled out a right already blinker going a solid hole. It's not ideal that is it against the side who, obviously, reached the FA trophy final and the playoff final last year at Wembley. It's going to be a tough day out for Maystone United. And Oliver Ash very much said, when I put on Twitter that Maystone could probably have had a better tie, he said, you could definitely say that again. So the frustration for them, because when you get to this stage, you either want what we're going to talk about later on, or you want a money spinner and solid hole mores away on a Saturday in November. It's not ticking many boxes, is it? No. I think one of the players who's bent on, who's on loan from Solihal, one of their key players, who's done really well since he's come into the side. Of course, he won't be able to play against his parent club, so that'll be a blow for them. Again, I just don't really understand. FA Cup, it's changed its perspective when we get on to what we talked about, Tumbridge, when I spoke to Jay Saunders. Now, with no replay, how do you look at that game? Well, you've got to go for it, haven't you? It's not worth sitting back previously. Mosto might be quite happy, hit them on the counter-tech. If we get a replay, bring them back, beat them at home. It will change from that. So I think competition changes. It's not a good tie, but we probably said that, expect them to go out and they keep winning games in the cup. So from a money spinning point of view, and for a sexy point of view, yeah, it's not up there. Again, Solihal, probably not the best supported side in the National League as well. So then maybe, and again, does it attract the Maystone fans to go? It's a bit of a track, but it's not a great tie. They could have done better, really. Yeah, and I make no apologies to anyone who lives in Solihal, but I would agree wholeheartedly with my co-host there when he says that Solihal is not sexy. Anyway, let's move on and talk about the other game on Saturday. The draw for Tumbridge Angels was all together kinder, if perhaps lacking the glamour that both sides would have wanted, as they will play Southern League, Premier Centralside, Harvard Town at Longmeade in their FA Cup first round debut. Angels beat Craig Wanderers on Saturday, Jamie Fielding with the only goal to send Angels into the first round for the second time in five seasons. And at least this time, they won't be playing behind closed doors. And Matt was at Saturday's game and spoke to both managers, starting with the Angels boss, Jay Saunders. Yeah, I'm buzzing for, you can see the supporters, I'm buzzing for the supporters, for the club, for the players, because as I said to them before the game, it don't come round very often. I think you always think there's next year that I said to them, it doesn't work like that. So I felt it was an opportunity for us today. And yeah, I'm delighted for everyone associated with the club. And I think, like I say, most of all, the supporters there are delighted and it's great to see. Okay, it was a KGFA Cup type, took me in the first half I thought. Yeah, there wasn't much in it, we watched a lot of them, we felt those ways we could hurt them in wide areas. And I don't think we moved the ball quick enough first half. The pitch, I'm not making excuses, the pitch is a lot smaller than ours, so it was a case of the boys I felt getting used to it. But we said some half time that we felt a goal would come from set peace across from wide areas. And thankfully, we've got that. But you're right, it was KG, you know, at the end, you've got to give great full credit, they kept going and going. And it was hard for us, we had a chance to kill it off, didn't. And they went right until the last minute. Ladies, Neil Smith haven't spoken to him, it'll be disappointed that his big center half was off the pitch. And then you scored, but fair play to JB Fielding, from the center half, it's a quality finish. We've missed Jamie massively, I think, like, people will look and go, he scored the winner, but I'll look and go, we'll get to clean sheet. Like, the minute Jamie come out, we were five clean sheets on a bouncy come out. And that's not to take anything away from anyone else, but he's a big blur for us. And I know that, and to lose him with a head injury was a big blow, and it was a training injury as well. So I felt a lot more confident with him and the team today. You can see he gives that composure, he's an older head at the back, well, he's 24, 25, he's our older head back there. So yeah, I'm delighted, it was a great finish. I thought it was null at first, but we did well in the initial sort of phases to keep the ball alive. And if you do that, then you've got a chance, and he's tucked it away nicely, and yeah, delighted, delighted. Back to the wall last time, I think Ryan Hanson did a magnificent saving challenge with the guy who threw on go, and that seemed to lift the players as well, but it must have been a little bit worried for you on the bench, because as you fair, cray through everything at it. I did, a lot of game management towards the end was really poor. I, as I just said to you then, like, at the end, without waggy here, like, we had shielding over the age of 30, I think our average age today was 22. And I thought we looked at it, we started making silly decisions, and when we should have run it in the corner, we didn't trail out the chance to run it in the corner, then shields it, and it's silly, because you're giving an opportunity to put balls in your box. And we did second half last 20 minutes, we allowed them to put too many balls in our box, and it was the only real way I could see them scoring, but they could put good balls in a box and look, you put bodies on the line, you know, giving them up? Yeah, they did, and I've got to give the boys credit for that, and look, I know Smudge will, and Neil and I and his team, and I knew they'd keep going right until the last minute, and they did that, and it was a proper cup tie, I thought the atmosphere and everything. It's quite it's in his club as well, I've not been here before, and it's great to see Craig back at home, and with a big crowd here, I thought it was a really good occasion. Tumbra's in the FA Cup first round, what does that mean to the club? It means a lot, I tell a lot of people are happy, and they're sort of saying, well done, great win, and then there was a few directors saying, great for the bank, so it's like, it's a knock on effect for everything. It's more than the money, isn't it? It is, I think, I think it's important, though, to clubs like us, like we're not one of the big boys in the league, if you like, and it's great that we can get here and earn a bit of, I always say to the players, like this is the club pay us every month, no problem, brilliant, this club is with that, and I think it's a chance to give back to the club, and we've done that, and then on top of that, that you see the players in with the supporters, it is. That's what's about on it, the supporters, all the young kids, I see just, hopefully, you get a good draw, and I get to experience a really good day. With the draw now, with there's no replays, does that change what a manager wants? Do you, you'd write everything at home now, or, of course, you're going to have to go Birmingham away, but you can't bring them back to your place if you get a draw. No, you can't, and I think Birmingham away, I can't see that being a TV game, to be honest. If you get a home game against a decent league side, you've got a chance of it being on TV, and I think for everyone associated with the club, the players, the club, everything, if you can get on TV, I've been there before you, it puts the club in the shop window, if you like, so for me, a home draw would be ideal, but I just hope we get, I'd love to get a league side, I think, for us, that'd be great. What do you stand on replays being knocked out at this level? I get what I have for the bigger clubs, I think for us, it's a big blow, I mean, I'll look back. Do they keep it to the third round then? Yeah, I think possibly, I mean, I'll look back on my time, and we sort of, Steve needs to replay live on TV, the pitch invasion at the end, and everything, and I think clubs, it takes that little bit of romance from the FA Cup away from me, but it's great for the club, because they go out, and now you get a bigger, if you go out, you get a bigger pot of cash, but so you're guaranteed money, if you like, but I think it takes that romance at the FA Cup. I was brought up on the replays, and I'm in McGahn to make up final replay, being an Arsenal support against Sheffield Wednesday, so I remember bits like that, and yeah, I would love to still see them, but I understand now with the routine of the schedules, why they've done it. We're not being a good start for the season before we do one in the league, first round of the cup, the club must be delighted how it's going. Yeah, we are, I'm delighted for everyone involved, it's, we've just got to keep our heads down, and keep, we've been really good as a group, taking it a game at a time, and the players have been really level-headed for a young group, and I understand, they'll make mistakes and make silly decisions, because they are learning, but in general, there, it's been a great start, so I think we've had one defeat, referred to the first round, proper FA Cup, and so it's been a great start, but football changed very quickly, so we just keep saying to the boys, let's concentrate on the next game now, we've got some tough fixtures coming up, but ones, they'll go in looking forward to. Delight for him, delight for Tumbridge Angels matter, and surely that draw is a chance to get to the second round. Yeah, well, it's one of these things, when you see it first up, you think, 'Ah, gussied for them', but when you, you put your, you put your disappointment aside, and you think about it, home tie against the sides, a league below, not pulling out too many trees in the league, but doing well in the cup, I think they'll be absolutely delighted with that, to be honest, they've got a chance to get to the second round, and then you think, then you're only one game away from the third round, and the law of averages, you should bring out a league team in the second round as well, that we think, and again, they'll be absolutely delighted they're at home, because as I said before, now there's no replays, I presume it must go to extra time, it doesn't go straight to penalty, does it? I think it's extra time on the pens, yeah. Yeah, so it must go, I think it just, again, does it change the way a team will think about this? Because again, Harvard might be thinking, well, we're just, you know, quite happy here, keep it tight, then we play for a replay, but they can't do that now, so from a point of view, I'm sure Tumbridge, they market it well, it'd probably be a big crowd there, all ticket affair, and a chance to get in the right second round of the FA Cup, so, it's a better tie than a solly holder way, that's what I would say, if you're not going to get a glamour tie in this round, which is guaranteed telling, you probably want the lowest team left in the competition. Yeah, definitely, and I think what you're saying there makes a good point about the lack of the replay, I suppose it does make Harvard a dangerous opponent, because there'll be very much of the mindset, we've got nothing to lose here, we either win this tie and cause an upset, or we go out fighting, so, you know, there is the, I suppose the possibility of just sitting back and waiting for the counter attack and playing for penalties, probably isn't such a big thing as it would have been last year, when you're like, let's get them back home and see what we can do. So, that's where it makes it interesting. And, you know, I've looked up harbour, obviously in market harbour, they're 14th in their league, they've got three wins in their 10 league game so far, they've beaten Darla Stone, town 1874, other replay, Stourbridge, National League's Northside, Lemington and Berry, to reach this stage of the competition. A great tie for Tommy Jones, as you say, that the fans will be able to get in and see them and, you know, bury the ghosts of that when they play Bradford in 2020. And I think that's a massive thing for them. And, you know, as you say, you want to be at home, whatever, you want to be at home. And Jason just said that there, didn't he? He said, you know, you want to be at home, just because you're not going to get your big tie. And I guess he was frustrated when he watched that draw on Monday night because they were quite near the end, weren't they? And there were some big guns left in there. I mean, I was saying they're going, they're going to get drilling them. I was like, they are going to get drilling them. That's definitely what's going to happen here. As far as I was concerned, Tommy Jones was going to pull out drilling them and that would have been an absolute treat for them. And I thought, you know, that's going to be the one. And they'll see Birmingham in there, Blackpool was still in there. And then obviously they went out. And then it was, he's still thinking, well, they've got a chance of Birmingham here. And then they pull out Harbor. And as I say, it could have been so much worse for them. And I think they're, I think on reflection, they'll be happy. But I suppose, Matt, the question is, first time you've seen Jason on the side this season, were you impressed with them? They look pretty solid, Craig. We'll get on to them in a minute. Probably didn't show too much until the last 10 minutes. From an attacking board of you, wasn't a particularly good game. Angels huffed and puffed a little bit, playing some nice football, gluing Vincent, Sean Shields, nice touch. We didn't get the ball quickly up to Leighton, really. And you felt that Leighton needed a little bit more support in attack. But once they got the goal, they had something to play with, and they did defend mightily well in the final few minutes. Ryan Anson from the Diamondman had a great game, probably the best player on the pitch. A really brilliant tackle to stop a really good goal scoring opportunity to then put their bodies on the line. And what I would say from a damage point of view, their fans celebrate like they run the FA Cup. And that's what the competition means to certain people getting into the first round. Some of those fans, you know, might have been, you know, they've got young, fun base, hadn't seen it before. They were absolutely over the moon they got into the first round. And fair play, you will be dreaming of the second round now. And I have to say, when I've always been football, sometimes the feeling of actually getting into that first round was actually better feeling than it actually drew coming out, because some of them would have thought, "Oh, you wanted your bearings. You wanted your jilling in." But they didn't get it. But they say, "They've got a chance of getting into the second round." And then we all saw what Maistock did when they got to the second round and then what can happen? I think it's 50 years since supporters have been able to watch Tom Rouge Angels in an FA Cup first round tie. So that's absolutely fantastic for them. And Jason was there saying it was a young side they had out. And I guess that's a big test for a young team to go and play a cup tie that meant so much away from home against a team who were up for it. Yeah, I think Jason has gone through it, sort of, you know, a more fitter, hungrier side now, not much experience. They miss Scott Wagstaff, of course, who is the experienced player. But yeah, they've got some talent in that side. We mentioned Shawn Schum, we mentioned before, in the pod, how old is he? But he's still, he's sort of the old head of the team. But they've got, basically, a good side. Key thing is, getting they get a strike out. Can they get no late in firing? Can they support him a little bit? That would be my only concern for what I saw them. They need a bit more in the final first. But they had enough to be great. So at a very nice day, I had it too, I have to say. Another big day for Craig Wanderers then, but ultimate disappointment. They ran their naturally self opponents close. Here's their boss Neil Smith. I thought we deserved another bite in a replay, you know, and being that drawer and, you know, have those, you know, the fantasies of pulling out a big club. But not to be, you know, I thought the goal they scored was soft on our part. And then right at the end, we never gave up, you know, great tackle from the number four right at the death. And then how he kept that ball out when Tom Bonner got the, he's ed to it. I thought that was a goal and the rebound. And, you know, I think we, I do. I generally thought we deserved another bite in a replay. Disappointing with the goal. We, Taylor, who had a good game, I thought, at the back, he couldn't come on because it was a foul. He was fouled, it was a throw. And then they scored from that. You're disappointed about that. I'm disappointed because I think, one, it should have been a free kick to us. He's then our treatment. He's then off the pitch. They throw it in the near post where his position is, and it just works against us. And, you know, even now, I don't know how. We haven't got a free kick. But, you know, someone else didn't do the job that Quaid should have done. And unfortunately, by the time he comes on, the ball's it at the far post. And, you know, he's not there for that one. I generally believe if he's on the pitch, they don't get that goal. But, you know, sometimes you have, you need that little bit of luck. And we didn't have it tonight. I thought it was a cagey first up. I thought you would have been pleased at half time. Oh, everything we did on Thursday, you know, we knew it was going to be, they were on top first 15 minutes. You know, they do play a certain shape. And the players that get used to it. But for after 15, 20 minutes, I thought we grew into it. I thought second half, it was a cancellation out. You know, they're in the division above, they're flying at the moment. I think they've only had one defeat. So we knew it was going to be difficult. But I thought everything that we put out on Thursday, what was working. And then, right at the end, I thought we had the better chances to go and nick it. Right, you know, go and get a draw, at least. But I just don't think we, I don't think we were wide open from them, you know, for Tumbish to beat us today. You know, again, that tackle at the end, it's like a golf saving tackle for them, isn't it? I thought it was brilliant tackle. We come from nowhere and, you know, maybe a more experienced player. I might have just had another touch. You draw a tackle in, you might get that penalty. But, you know, he's kept a minute. That was a fantastic tackle. And, you know, you've got to applaud that because he never gave it up. This place first, my first visit here. 1200 people here, it came, this is the future of the club, isn't it? How important is it to come back to the area? It's unbelievable, you know, they, and it's not just for the first team. And it's, you know, you've got the women here. But you've got the all the youth teams you've got. I think we've got 44 teams and unfortunately, you know, they're scattered, they were scattered around playing their games. I know we've got the facility next door with a grass pitches, but you've got to hub now and we want to give every under 15, under 16 the chance to play on that pitch because we want them to own it. We want them to own this ground. This is their team. They play for them on a Sunday. We want them to come and watch the first team. Of course we do. But also think about, one day they might be playing for Cray. And that's what we've got to do. I did it wrongly when I was there. You know, it was all about producing young kids and players that want to support it. And, you know, 1200 go away. You know, obviously there was a few tumbros, but there'll be some new Cray supporters that might just think, "Yeah, I want to come back." The most important thing now is you've got to improve your league form. You've got another derby against Chatham on Tuesday. That's right. Just said it in there, you know, it's great when you get that distraction of the FA Cup and having the dream and stuff like that. But the spreading button now is the league and the league form hasn't been great. But any reason for that, you think? At the beginning of the season, it was very chop and chain. You know, I was saying earlier that sometimes you can't get the players that you want to get into in pre-season, because we can't offer them the money other teams can offer. So I'm not saying you get less a player, but you get a player that you can't afford. And then all of a sudden, other players become available, because they might not be playing games. And then, you know, and all of a sudden, someone's moved into the area. And then you can start having to look at other players that you've got, and you give everybody a chance. But, you know, the first month he was hectic for us. We lost players' injury. We had, you know, we were trying a different formation, because players were injured, we had to change it. So I've gone back to what we're used to, because I just think it's easy to bring players in. But, you know, I think we've lost, you know, one game in nine or whatever. And that was unfortunate. That was the league game against Bogner, where we were poor. We didn't deserve anything. But we put performance in like that, where we're more than we lose. Does it take a while to get used to your new surroundings as well for the players? Yeah, it does. But I don't like to use that as an excuse. I know it's like our home pitch, and it's our home ground and stuff like that. But, you know, they've got to come in, whatever, whatever picture or wherever you're playing, you just got all I asked for, what they gave me today. And that was 100%. Not one person can I say, you know, was a bit off it, or like, whether we're good enough or not, as long as you give me 100% and I'll take it. You're enjoying it? This is a good challenge for you, isn't it? For this club? Listen, you know, I've been there before in terms of challenges. And this is the biggest, this is the biggest challenge I've ever had, because, you know, you're in the conference south when I first went into Bromley, you know, then you're in the conference national, you've got the funding, and you've got the help from here. You've got four guys that are actually putting their own money and, you know, you can't expect it to last on that. No one can sustain that. And then you get the pitch, and now we've got to, you know, make sure we earn money from it to pay for it. Because, you know, that's there at the start and the foundation. But, you know, to get the next stage, you need better players. More money. Well, they're choosing a night date with chats have ended another defeat, Freddy Sears screwing a hat, trickers, chatters, a chats one for one. And I'm sure about, Neil, we're very disappointed that they couldn't follow up that promising cup performance in the league. Yeah, again, from Craig, I think they were quite happy during the game, just to hold him at bay. I think the first stuff he went in, it would have been happier, because television, plenty of balls didn't do much with it. Craig had one up front, didn't really support him too much. He didn't create too many chances, but they didn't seem to be in any danger. And when, when, um, uh, quite Taylor went off, that was that extra bit of space, which coverage exploited it. And from a Neil, Neil Smith point of view, maybe they were a little bit conservative in the first up. He could have put two up, support the strikers, because the last 10 minutes, they absolutely battered Tambridge, but just couldn't score and somebody put their bodies on the line. So it will be a little bit concerning going back to work. My first visit to Flamingo Park, again, 1200 people there, very friendly club. Everybody very pleased at a chat with a few supporters who, who said that they watched other football when they wanted to support the local team, because they do so much in the community with all the kids teams and things like that. But it's one of their fans, all the most important thing now is we've got to get off the bottom of the table. And that's a feat to chat them on Tuesday. We know chat and probably needed that as well, because their format has been good. We'll be a little bit concerned that chat. Now they're back to the home thing with the crowds are looking better, that cry a straggling a little bit to move off the bottom of the table. The bases of the bases of the club is there. What they can do, what they can exploit, what they can do to the ground going forward. But that'll be no good if they get relegated. So an important few games coming up for them. But I think Neil Smith will probably, when he went to sleep that night, thinking maybe I've gone for it, you never know, you've got a result against them. And so an angel side who probably were there, but it's taken, if you went a little bit more aggressive towards him. Yeah, interestingly says, an experienced manager who says this is the toughest job he's ever had. Yeah. And I guess that's not just about trying to get, build a team, but also moving into the stadium coping with all of that. I don't know he kind of played that down a little bit, but it is hard when you go from what you're used to to something new and bigger crowds and I guess a little bit of expectation. You know, as you say, people want to come and support them because they're doing such good work in the community. But I guess people want to come and watch a successful team, don't they? Yeah, and again, I don't think, you know, some part of you think I've moved to a new ground. They're going to have loads of money now to buy a new player. I don't think it necessarily is the case because they've invested in their infrastructure and the infrastructure is going to be there. Well, it's the work they're doing off the pitch into the clubhouse there, having more events, it's going to be a real community hub. But again, results on the pitch need to improve. We thought a couple of seasons ago, they could be at right end of the table last season, whether they last season, they struggled a bit last season as well, didn't they? Well, we thought that was because they were moving into the ground a little bit. But it just hasn't really kicked on this year, and it's a big challenge for Neil Smith, but if anybody can turn it around, it'll be him. He's mentioned quite tall. They've got any other players that you like the look of? Yep. The left fullback is named with Dorian Deville. I think he was good left back. I quite liked him. And to be fair, Tom Bonner is a little bit bigger than he was before, longer hair, but he still absolutely knows what he's doing in his position. Basically, they look pretty solid, just that lack in the final third was a real concern. But I quite liked that. Yeah, quite tall. I thought he had a good game, and I thought the left fullback was excellent as well. Yeah. Well, hopefully things will turn around pretty soon for Cray Wanderers. Elsewhere this will be a big division. Dover are just a point off the top after they're two new win at White Hawk on Saturday, or Cray Valley PMB Chishisa 2-1. Folks can do one all at home, so hashtag United. No goals in Darford's home game with Hendon. It's been a goal here. It's now 7-0-1. Sitting 1-1 right on the stroke of half-time. It's still incredibly wet. And I missed the goal because I was talking to Matt Gerard and reading your scripts. At the same time, this weekend, Cray Valley head to Bogner. Folks can go to Cambie Island. The others are all at home chatting against Potters Bar. Cray wanderers to Hacingsider. They did beat in the cup last month. Darford take on Wingate and Finchley. And well, it's the day we've all been waiting for, everybody. It's Dover Athletic take on hashtag United. Will you be there in your hashtag garb, Matt Gerard? I will be. And I've had to do some mindwork on hashtag United being there coming from the internet and in Essex. So I am there. It's community day. So the people of Dover will be going out to see hashtag United. I've never seen any of their videos. Do you want to be able to see any of their videos? I'm going to be honest and say that no, I haven't. But I may be tuning in after Saturday. Oh, I presume they'll be doing a video. I don't actually know what sort of crowds they get. And do they have people who follow them? I suppose they might be kids out there who watch a lot of their games in the local area. Also come watch hashtag if they know they're the striker or anything like that. So looking at any players, Jack Giddings, Nathan Smith, I've heard of. Yeah, interesting. So yeah, are we watching out? I'm more interested in how many fans hashtag are going to bring? I'll count them for you, John. How would you reckon? Well, that's the thing you don't know, they might, because they might, because they have got an online presence. So they get a lot of views to their videos. So there might be people in Dover who probably are more familiar with hashtag United Start at 11, then Dover start at 11. So they might come along for the day. And obviously you've been your community day as well. You know, it's a good opportunity. Hopefully you get a good crowd on. And people will enjoy themselves at Crabball. And this is something that we talked about a lot with Dover, but it looks like the club is trying to be a little bit more connected with its supporters. And that can only be a good thing. Yeah, I take the birds on a great job on the pitch, but I think off the pitch with the help of the community in the media, the stuff is doing that there is engagement with the supporters. And I would say over the last few years, there's been a few players and squads that not many of the Dover fans particularly cared about. But this season, thanks rightly to the result. If we've been doing terrible again, we'd still have the bait, the main thing. So they backed up with good work off the pitch and good work on the pitch. So which is good to see. I say, I'm not getting carried away. If we keep up in the playoff position and see where it goes from, we'll be happy. So, but yeah, it's good times to be a diorathetic fan. So when people ask me now, well, and they still losing, I can say, no, we're currently second in the league. And what after they've picked them up from the floor. And you point out you've been relegated twice in the last few years. Yeah, exactly. Craig, we're not getting the right direction. We're talking about what I'm pleased about. So I'm not getting carried away. You're not getting carried away, but yeah, completely. Absolutely. Well, you'll have to let us know somewhere next week. So we'll go on. Craig wanderers at home to White Hawk on Tuesday night as well. Let's move into the Eastman League Southeast. Then my Ramsgate have made seven wins out of seven in the league after beating Shepard and I five in a long Saturday. And then Stenning Town one in a long Tuesday night. That's not enough to have them top of the table, though. They're still five points behind Beckham. But they do have five games in hand on the leaders who do two to a home to city one on Saturday before a dramatic three to win. Abroba Teeth on Tuesday night. The other results on Saturday. So Ashford beaten three in a long by Abroba Teeth. Here in a town came from behind to beat deal two, one. Seven makes one a thriller at Humbay, five, three. Hides lost out to one at home to Eastborn Town. Phoenix went down, born a little Hampton in Darrin Anzo's first game in charge. I might go to a two two with AFC Croydon. Gait then suffered their first league defeat of the season on Tuesday night as Aylos two won at Burgess Hill. Oh, in contrast, Ashford got their first win in only their six league games. We failed the three won victory at East Grinstead with a young pup called Danny Kedwell scoring two of the goals for Danny Kedwell's side. Humbay also won two won against Eastborn Town. Chef United drew one apiece at Merstam. Did you see Danny Kedwell has brought his son in? So I've just checked, he didn't play. But will there be a time that Danny Kedwell will be on the same pitch as his young son? Well, here's the thing. What a story that will be. It'd be a great story. But also the other week, according to football web pages, Danny Kedwell's son was on the bench at two different places. So obviously he put some themes on the bench for Ashford. And he was on the bench for someone else. I want to say it was Holland's and Blair. But apparently he was on the bench twice, which was quite impressive. I had a couple of people message me about that. So that is interesting. Four program fixtures in their divisional sato. Deal hosting Merstam. Ramsgate head to East Grinstead. Ashford travels to Eastborn Town. Beckham crossing the border as well to face Lansing. Phoenix sports at home to Humbay. Seven Oaks hosts Irrit Town. Chef United take on Margate and Cityborne are at home. So they're former boss Nick Davis and Hive. Ashford are home to Lansing and Tuesday. It's Irrit Town against Margate. Phoenix take on Ramsgate, Sheppy hosts Littlehampton and it's sitting worn against Hearn Bay. I started to settle down a bit now, I'm at that league, but a complete week for Ramsgate, Matt. Yeah, I think Ben Smith has come out, sort of runs blazing. So maybe we're too good for this league now. Now it's going to go up. No panicking on. Seven wins out, seven magnificent results against Sheppy, their first defeat at a season. So yeah, it's a good position that Ramsgate are in. All you can do is beat the teams in front of you. And they've record over the last 15, 16 months back a whole of last season this season. It's absolutely phenomenal. And I said last week with those results, I thought it may be contradicting myself here. Ramsgate winning games. Maybe they can run away with it. Got five games in hand at the back of them and only five points behind. So Ramsgate, I know for one of their players, came out thinking they could go the season unbeaten. It's a bit of pressure on them, but again, Crowley lost once last year. So they'll be looking to improve that. But yeah, fantastic week for them. Disappointing from Margate a little bit their first defeat for the season. But I think they'll find that we're happy so far with the games they play, particularly with the games come over at Ramsgate with Christmas ritual. You beat games. The things with Ramsgate is seven wins out of seven. At any level of football, it doesn't actually matter how good you are and what league you're in. So when seven games out of seven, it is phenomenal. You know, you can look at Faversham last year. Everyone was expecting them to run away with the skiffle off so they didn't ultimately win it. But you can look at them again this year and say they're a good top. But they haven't won seven games out of seven. And that is a brilliant achievement. And Ramsgate will be hoping that can continue. They've got obviously Phoenix on Tuesday, as you've just said. And East Grinstein on Saturday, yeah, two away games. But I'm sure Ben Smith will be confident of picking up results in both of those games. And as I just said, you can only be what's in front of you. So it's an amazing achievement. So when you first have a MIGA. Well, look at it as well. Defensively, I don't think they've conceded since they played the alternative. Like four games, they've had four clean sheets as well. We know they're solid going forward. You know they're always going to score goals. But defensively, they're very, very good as well. And games coming up, it's looking good for them at the moment. And maybe people say it's their time to go up. And I think the club think it's their time. And again, there's a long way to go. But they're going in the right direction. And I'm pleased for Ben Smith, because if they do do it, I think he will be one of the happiest men in the planet. Yes, that just leaves us to talk about the game that I'm currently watching as we talk the game between Cityborne and Seven Oaks. Seven Oaks, obviously the home team in that game here at Greatness Park. So it's over to me to give you the full spec and the interviews and the reaction and my thoughts from that game. Well, thank you, John. Thankfully, you've now dried off. That was very, very wet in the first half at Greatness Park there in Seven Oaks. And even better, the rain then followed me home as well. So I've had a delightful drive, although I did manage to stop off at my favourite place on my way through Tambridge Wells, which was an added bonus. On a wet Wednesday night, really good game in the end. It finished Seven Oaks One, Cityborne One. Cityborne had a goal disallowed quite near the end. I was behind the goal where it was, and maybe Seven Oaks got away with one there, I don't know. The keeper went for the ball, dropped the ball. Was he fouled with the referee thought so? So in the scorebook, it says it was one or... I've seen them given, I've seen them not given, if that is anything. But at the end of the game, Cityborne were really pushing forward, really, really going for a winner, but Seven Oaks held firm, which was really good for them, because they've had a lot of problems with concealing goals as you're about to hear, especially at home, where they've had some pretty disappointing results. So to get a point against the side, who are pretty good, is a good return for Seven Oaks. So after the game, I spoke to both the managers, as you would expect. And here is the first of them. It is the Seven Oaks town boss Marcel Nomarney, the former Sheppie and I had coached, took over at Seven Oaks in the summer, and he's doing okay so far, as you said, a few goals can sit here, and there was a witsful last season, didn't work out for him there. You can hear a little bit about how he got the job at Seven Oaks, how it's part of a big project, and of course, how he enjoyed the results on Wednesday evening. And that was the first question when I spoke to him. After the game, so here is the Seven Oaks town boss Marcel Nomarney. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's compliments. I was just saying to their manager, they do look like a team that's destined to do something. You know, you can just look at the intensity of his players, and obviously they've got their style of play, and they're sort of fishing at it. And they weigh their pounds into every second of the game. So, I am proud of my boys for the way they lift up to it. We can see the nerdy gold we should disappoint in, but I felt that we grew into the game. And in the end, whilst I'm pleased, I'm actually gutting, we could all shoot, could or should have won that game in the end. Good time to score, it's a full half time as well, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, it was good time to score. The only frustration I got is we built quite a good momentum, and when you consider the way that we can see that goal, you know, you could argue that we should have been a team ahead. So, I did think, in the first time, we were the better team. At the end there, though, they were certainly chucking lots of good balls. I mean, Hamlet's delivery is always excellent, and he really tested your backline tonight. He did, you know, I've been quite critical of my team in terms of how they deal with set pieces, and it's difficult to compliment them, because we can see it again from a set piece, but I did think they're sitting born on set piece. They're just a side built for it. And, you know, credit to them, you know, if that's what their identity is, then, you know, fair play, and they were good at it. Generally speaking, inconsistent, I suppose you'd take so far this season. Yeah, I've had this quite a lot. Yes, in terms of our group ambition, I'd say we're a little bit inconsistent. I think we're a little bit behind, but in terms of club objective, we are well within our target. So, not too critical. It's early in the season. We are an ambitious group. We want to do a little bit better, but in terms of the club ambition, and my first three years here, we are well within our target. I spoke to a couple of people earlier on, they said, you know, they're happy with our things going. Given that you started with a completely blank canvas? Yeah, so, obviously, this year, the club is looking to grow more than just the first team. It's a very ambitious football club, and they've always invested in the first team. I think this time around, they want to do slightly different. As you can see around you, there's going to be a huge investment around the club. We're also investing quite a lot on our youth. So, we're looking to expand the club first, and then, hopefully by the second and third year of the project, we can then start then focusing on the first team. We've already recorded this week's show, if I don't know if this is going in. Okay. When we were talking about it, and I said I was here, Matt was like, the number of people that live in seven oaks, you know, it must be frustrating that there's so many houses around, and yet the crowds don't top as much as you want. And I suppose building everything around here is how you get more people to come and get involved in the club. Yeah, so that's the ambition this time around. You know, this time around, that's the ambition. We actually have one of the biggest youth clubs in Kent. So, it's not like we don't have a youth team. We've got a huge following in terms of the youth teams within our club. But if you actually look at their experience, other than the actual game itself, there's not a lot of good surroundings around us. So, Paul and the board are very ambitious in building this new infrastructure. And I think once we build the new infrastructure, he'll be a better place to host people, and that's the ambition is then to grow the fan base. I think this is a nice place to watch again in football, isn't it? Absolutely. It's a fantastic club run by great volunteers. It's got great history. And yeah, we just want to be part of that history. And it's got some really successful managers here. So, I'm quite privileged to be at this football club. And I'd like to add my part to the history that other managers have left behind. I was going to say when this opportunity came up, I guess you jumped to it. Yeah, obviously, I left to have the summer off. I think a lot of managers do that after a tough season. But when Paul got in contact, it's a club local to me. So, it's always been an ambition in mind to work with Paul and to work for this football club. And when he came, it's a no-brainer really. What's the difference for you? I mean, he had great success, obviously at Chef P as more of a coach. Now you're the main man. What's the difference on a day-to-day basis or a match or match basis for you? That's a really good question. If I'm honest with you, the difference is it's more play a relationship, more more setting standards. And I have a really good team of coaches around me who deliver the coaching sessions. Whereas when I was a chef, he was the balance of the two. So yeah, I do enjoy management more if I'm honest with you. I think I've been in non-league football when I was my 10th season. So over the year, you lose the passion to coach and you become more aware of tactics, more aware of relationship, more aware of cohesiveness amongst players, more aware of player ability around the surroundings. So that's why I enjoy it more now. And it shows us some players that you've worked with in the past that are here playing for you now. And I guess that's a massive feather in your cap. Yeah, so we do have, what's not put out there is we do have a budget this year, which we're blessed with our budget, but we have to be creative. And a lot of the boys that I've bought in who are doing well for me, a lot of them are compensating friendship and a good place to play football for money. And what I mean by that is that they're in here on, they could get better off as elsewhere, but we're here to be together. You move on now, we were a town on the side. They've had a great start to the season. Is that bounce, isn't it? When you come out of step five and you've had a good season last season, it carries on and they're proof of that in a way. Yeah, absolutely. I think it's a, I would actually say is more than a bounce, you know. Adam Irritan has done a phenomenal job. He's been there for a long time. That's an ambition of mine to be at the club for a long time. So I can build a team with stability. And I wouldn't say he's a bounce. I think he's got stability there because he's been there long enough. And he's enjoyed his tough times and now he's enjoying his success time. So just a compliment to him, yeah. There'll be a big threat here once that though. Yeah, well, they're a result of showing even when they lose always by one goal, isn't it? And that's the trait of a team that can keep it up. So yeah, they're very good side. And I guess for you, looking at the league table and particularly the goals against Colin, that's the one thing I guess you're thinking. We've got to tighten up, especially here. You've had some tough results here, haven't you? It's the same thing that we said to the boys. And believe it or not, we're just saying to the world, I think we must be one of the teams that scored the most open play goals. You know, we've not scored one set piece this season. And most of the goals that we've conceded through set pieces. So it's obvious what the air needs to improve on. And I think we are, there's no hidden secret that I always like to coach an attacking team. You know, wherever I go, I will always go for a forward, in a philosophy type of side. So, but yeah, we're learning to adjust to get the balance, right? Nice catch up with Marcel there on good form. Says he listened to the show every week. So thank you very much, Marcel, very nice. Thank you for the confidence as well. It means a lot when managers, coaches, everybody, players, when you listen to the show, let us know that you enjoy it. That means so much to myself and Matt. We do really, really appreciate that. So thank you, Marcel. Really enjoyed that chat with him. Thought he spoke very well. And interesting to hear him say, you know, this is a project. It's not just about the first team. It's about everything coming together. And I did ask him about the crowds, because we took about that on the show. And of course, they want more people to get in and watch the games. And it will come in time, I'm sure, because it's all about awareness. And, you know, it's difficult for these people, these football clubs, in these areas. Because, you know, this is part of why we do this podcast. Because the seven notes chronicle used to be a very good newspaper. Used to have lots of sport coverage. I used to be part of the team, used to do that. And now they don't get that. And I'm sure Marcel doesn't get to speak to as many people from the press he'd like to obviously, the clubs will do their thing. There are other people doing websites here and there. But actually, in terms of getting your face and what your team are doing into your local paper, it's a lot harder than it used to be seven or eight years ago when we started this podcast. So that's part of the challenge for seven notes. But as I was saying to Trevor during the game, when I used to be part of that team that was covering seven notes, they were getting 30, 40 people through the gates. Now, you know, it's four times that tonight on a wet Wednesday evening in October, which is positive. They're definitely moving in the right direction. And I thought they played well tonight. The Nicton got that goal, hung on at the end and defended well. And it was interesting, Marcel said, you know, we haven't defended well enough at times this season. I'm pleased with the defenders tonight, but they've still got to carry on and do better. And I'm sure the game they've got this weekend against here in the town, that'll be a really tough game. But Marcel spoke very well there, very grateful to him for his time after the game, as always. And yeah, I wish seven notes well. And I'm sure I'll be up there to darken their door again over the course of the season. But what a sitting board. Still going well. They're in the top five. Great one in the FA Cup. They're doing the same in the FA trophy as well where they played over in 10 days time or so. And they imagine Ryan Maxwell, really nice guy, really nice to see him. He was pleased to see him. He was on the second time I've met him. But he wanted to make sure that to give us a chat, we did. We were walking and talking. So I'm not 100% sure what the quality is like on the start of this. But yeah, really good to hear from Ryan Maxwell. He was on good form. And the City Hall fans there tonight. Very good link between them and the players and the manager, which is something that you always like to see. So I started by asking Ryan if that was two points dropped at seven acts this evening. Yeah, definitely. I think we've made one little era in the first half towards the very end of the first half and it's cost us two points. I've just said to that, I can't knock them through the performance because they gave me everything and put them on a immense pressure and just didn't get the winner. To limit seven looks the very very little second half. They're decent size. Some very good players going forward. I thought we were excellent at the second half. I'm from the joint of the first. One of those games where I think we look back and can only blame on ourselves. Because we switched off in the last moment in the set in the first half and it's cost us the two points. And if that's what we take from today's game, then that's what we take from it. Still a few boys in there still learning their trade, really. I told them what it is. I thought we should have done. And if you're coming at one now, I'm very confident going to scoring for two or three. But we didn't and that's football one each at half time. If you're not going to get your second goal, you come away with a point. I just said to Marcel, it was a good time for them to score. A bad time for you to concede. Yeah, that's football isn't. It's all about time. Football's all about moments, isn't it? And decisions and moments change the head and flow of games and coming in at one on instead of one now changes everything. So yeah, a great time for them to score it in a pro time for us to concede. Towards the end there, you were chucking everything out of it. It just wouldn't drop or just went off target at the last minute. That's where it's frustrating, isn't it? Yeah, a little bit worse though. I felt there's more opportunities that we actually finished off if you like. So a final pass wasn't a great decision. A little bit of quality like the last connection of the ball, if you like. And I think, you know, I've had the game going on over five minutes. I come from scoring a goal, but they were camped in the third running in the quarter. Set a piece after set a piece, an opportunity after opportunity. But they defended pretty well. You have to get them credit as well. They've ruled out and we've done all our bit to try and get the second goal, but they've also defended well. Generally speaking, you're still finding you're feeding this league campaign because you've been doing so well in the cuts. Yeah, a little bit. I think we've got two more league games before the next cut match, but we're looking forward to that. But we're a better part of the league. So I can't say we've been distracted because that'll be wrong. I think tonight, I think the boys were fully focused. I did question the mindset on Saturday. A little bit, what's the word I would use? Not the usual intense self from the kickoff, we're excellent second half. But tonight, I can't fault the boys at all, and I'm quick to fault them if they're wrong. But tonight, I can't, and certainly haven't been distracted by the cup games. At four away games in a row, and I offer a cup of tea for your sports tonight, brilliant vocal support from them all night. Other tremendous, you know, I'm sure they wanted a hot whiskey in that tea, but now they are fantastic supporters. And if a cup of tea's, you know, if it goes anywhere near to say thank you to them, they're worth a cup of tea every week, but yeah, great vocals. We're very lucky to have them. Back at home on Saturday and Tuesday next week, the H is higher than then hand by. Two different challenges, teams that are having different seasons, but you can only take on what's in front of you. Correct, yeah, I mean, we respect everybody. As I say, a little bit disappointing us letting that last Saturday in our approach to the beginning of the game. But other than that, we've always respected the opposition, and we'll be respecting height this Saturday. You know, we're obviously off the back of four league away games. This is a home game where I'm beating the last four. We have dropped a couple of points, yes, we have, but they've been a tough four matches, you know, three mid-week games as well. So away from them. So, you know, a tough league, and they come out of it, you know, I'm beating still, it's a positive. Just finally, I was going to say, do you think the league's tougher than last year? It seems like the number of players that come into legal seem to get stronger and stronger, and I think this year's no exception. It's the strongest league that's ever been, it's the strongest league that's stepped forward that I've ever seen. So many good teams, and so many good players. I even small things like, you know, so many ASU turf. So, you get the ball down, it all makes a difference, believe me. So now, it's a very, very competitive game, and there's no easy games. Yeah, really good from Ryan there. Really nice to chat to him, and hear his thoughts on the game. And I get his disappointment missing out on those three points there, it's seven nights tonight, but, you know, he was very gracious in the draw, very confident of what his team's doing. An interesting team say that he thinks, as a lot of us do, that this league is very strong again this season, with, you know, lots of very good players come into the league, and Cityborne are doing OK, you know, that they're obviously one of the favourites to go up. But as you already heard us talking about Ramsgate in fantastic form, seven wins out of seven. They're the team to beat, I'm sure, but Cityborne, beating the playoffs last year, will push them very close. I'm sure they will be there or thereabouts. And in Ryan Maxwell, they've got a great manager who cares about the club, cares about the supporters, and that is a massive, massive Phillip for them, and a massive beast for them. And Ryan is doing a really good job there, and it was great to see, actually, I mentioned them there, those vocal, Cityborne supporters, really getting behind their team and cheering the one, because sometimes you go and watch a team away from home midweek, not an easy journey as well. If you go and watch public transport, in fact, it's a damn near and possible journey. If you go on public transport from Cityborne to seven and back on a Wednesday night. So, absolute fair play to all those Cityborne supporters who were there and made a good lot of noise. And, you know, your team is in a good position, so hopefully you are going in the right direction. And it would be fantastic if Cityborne and Ramsgate, and any other Kent teams who are there or there are bouts, can get themselves up and join the rest of the ones in the Ismium Premier Division. Yeah, really good night out at Seven Oaks. Nice to see some people and have a chat and say hello to various people. Enjoyed the game, tended to get in. Really good way to spend a Wednesday night. Didn't enjoy the drive home, but that's one of those things. We're going to go back to me now, probably about four hours ago, I was having this conversation with Matthew Gerard. We were discussing the Ismium League we're going to move on. Now, to talk about the Southern County's Oak League. Quite some game on Tuesday night. There was just one league game in the Scheffall Premier Division this week. Well, what a finale. Hollens and Blair on Tuesday night. Blair looked set to earn their first underly whilst Clint Gooding, and said they're tuned a lot home to Corinthian in the 89th minute. But Oscar Howsego got one back before two Jamie Billings goals in stoppage time. Gave the visitors a victory that five minutes earlier, it looked improbable to say the least. I did try to get some reaction from their manager after the game, and he just said to me, I haven't really got any words at the moment. So there you go. But I'm not sure I've ever seen a comeback that spectacular in the flesh. Anyway, Matt. Interestingly, I was looking using the great football web pages site last night. I think must have been about 20 past nine in one of the adverts in Bake Off, and I looked up two-nil down, Hollensburg and Corinthian. And I woke up this morning, I thought I'd just double check it. And three, two, when I saw 89, 90 plus one, 90 plus four. I would have been on the pitch, shut off the lot. I don't know if Michael was or not, but that is the- I've seen the celebrations, and yes, yes he was. Well, again, fair blazer there and Clint Gooding's first game. If he knew he had a job on his hands beforehand, how do moralizing that would be? You'd be heartbroken to go back to the 90 plus one, but 90 plus four, Jamie Billings with the winner. Oh, scenes, I think they would say never. Now, I think the kids say limbs these days. From a Hollensburg player, you'll be absolutely distraught. Couldn't see the game out, but fair blazer, Corinthian, that little bit of metal, little bit of quality game through, and keeps them in the hunt a little bit, John as well, from the right end of the table. Could be a massive three boys coming into the season. It really could be, and I did sort of wonder, have you seen what's the best comeback you've ever seen? I mean, I obviously was at a very famous one at Wembley in 1999, in a past life, but that wasn't even a win. That was just to come back to take it to extra time. Have you ever seen anything like that? No, I don't, not that two goals and injury times of winning a game, doesn't ring any bells with me. No, not at all, but yeah, football's a crazy game, isn't it? From that point of view, they must have been one back. I wonder what the players thought of one back. Oh, we might be able to get it from there. Just momentum and pressure could do a lot of things to players, with little things you deal with a ball, you can't deal with it and you punish. So yeah, fantastic result. You've got to feel for clean good in any side there, absolutely heartbroken from that, but they've got to make sure that pick themselves up and go again, but it's dressing room would have been absolutely heartbroken. You know, he's got a job on his hand there, but fair place of crunching in as well. So never say die attitude. Yeah, I did get some more response later on today from the manager. He did say, once we got one, I knew we were going to get a point. And once we got the second, it was just if it was going to be enough time to win it. So, you know, but an amazing result that is one that you take with you. I do have a friend, he's an Southampton town fan, and he will often tell you the story of whether he played on Vail Park. It must have been early 2000s. And his team were two one up at Vail Park, and conceded twice in stoppage time and got relegated the same day. That's a pretty bleak experience. And it's funny enough, obviously, Northampton with a team, if you've forgotten a few years ago, who won at Barrow at the final day of the season, which would have given them promotion only Bristol Rovers won 7-0 against Scumthorpe, so overtake them on goal difference. So that texted him and said, "Was that better or worse than Vail Park?" And he just said, "I can't believe it's happened again." Anyway. I have seen David 3-0 up at Canvie in the FA Cup with 20 minutes to go and lose 4-3. That sounds very nice. That was David, that was Fly Walker, David, yeah. 3-0 in the FA Cup, third round. I think I've just come back from America, they've died before, went to football, and I saw that we, yeah, 3-0 up, 3 minutes to go, lost 4-3. Marvelous. In the Kensi near Trophy on Saturday, Bista beat Kennington 2-0, BC did beat last year's beating finest, Croydon 4-0. Fabulous from looked at Russell and Pennerley's after a 3-3 draw, where the visitors came from behind 3 times. Crinty lost out 2-1 at Fisher, stands for over 2-1 winners at Forest Hill Park. Glee beat Lewis and Barra 4-1. Hollands and Blair beat Holmesdown and Pennerley's after a Golders draw. Fabulous from Strike Force 4-1 winners at Greenways. Scotland beat Essie tends to be 2-1. Stapeless Marks looks out. Rochester with a 3-0 win. Tomma Joel's beating with Belvedere 3-1 with Whitsterall winning 1-0 at Canterbury City in Friday night's game. Four games in the first division on Saturday as well. Bryden Rope's beating claps in Community 3-2. Sheppy sports 2-1 winners at FC Amsterdam said. Salthill Hamlet's beat Miriam VP3-2 and a 5-1 victory for two team back over Hall's Athletic. It's the FA Vars first round this weekend, starting on Friday night with Fabulous from Strike Force 5-0 with T. On Saturday lead town head to Athletic Newham. Irrith and Belvedere at home to Wollingford and Crowmarsh. Fabulous from Host British Airways, stands for at home to Peace Haven and Telscam. Lordswood meet Rochester United. Sutton Athletic at home to Fleettown. Tomma Joel's take on Pagon. VCD host Roffey. It's Whitsterall against Virginia Water and Biersted head to late, yate Lee United of Combined Counties Division 1, which I'm guessing Matt is the second place on that list that's made you go, where the f***ing hell is that? Well, they're in the top right-hand corner of Hampshire while Wollingford and Crowmarsh are in Oxfordshire. Only Combined Counties Premier North at their 13th in that table. Just in case you're adding that one to this, Virginia Water is in Surrey. Not too far from Thought Park. Well, that's things played Virginia Water Forum, right? I'm sure we have, yeah. It feels like it's... It feels like I'm back in the day. I've probably went to a news age and said, "Can I have 20 Virginia Waters, please?" But I've got a bit of Wollingford and Crowmarsh, innately, we're both new ones for me. Wollingford and... That's definitely got a nice little square with a pub on it, with a little green outside of Wollingford and Crowmarsh, isn't it? But, yeah, it would do like British Airways, John. Surely, with their investment, they should be higher up. They should be the buy-11 codes in the British football. I want to say, like, I met police, like, I don't know if they used to be all workers, but now they've branched out. Or is it a team of pilots and estuards? This is one I want to know. That'll be interesting. Yeah, British Airways... Well, yeah, well, I'm thinking that Fravisham will be to British Airways quite easily if they're full of mid-late pilots still playing for them. I'll tell you what, though. I think I might have said, if you want to be an estuard, you've got to be tall. So, they're going to be effective. They're going to be a general team, aren't they? Yeah, big, strong. But I'm sure Fravisham, I've got enough. How many fans of British Airways? If you're a Fravisham town fan, and you listen to this, and you count how many fans of British Airways are going to bring it into a thing. And how do they come? Do they fly to the news? Do they fly to Manchester and then get the coach down? Or whatever, or do they come on a coach with British Airways and blazers and all over it? If you are a Fravisham fan, and you're going to the game, please, somehow, via social media, Jon will give you, please fill in some information. Do they wear that sort of white blue red? A blue red, and it's got to be in it white with blue red. And are they sponsored by British Airways? Or have they got... I don't know so much! So much to ask about British Airways. So, yeah, flying high British Airways. Well, there you go. If British Airways beat Fravisham, flying high British Airways, knock out trophy of FAVR's favorites. Would we say that? And we're going, "We're going to Fravisham. Couldn't be famous doing the competition." Yeah, and I'll tell you what, Matt. We do a lot of questionable stuff on this podcast, but I reckon this is the closest we've ever come to one of Alan Partridge's questions. "Who's better supported? Has Tag United or British Airways?" Exactly. If I had said many years ago, we were doing this pod, and we're discussing the merits of #United and British Airways, obviously. I really have, my life has really gone to pop. But again, I will count the #UnitedFans. There must be somebody on here who's going to the game, who's listening to this, who's going against this aspect. Please, questions, what colour kit do they wear, who are their sponsor, and how many fans they've got? Do you know, when I sent you the message about doing this podcast, Matt, I dreamt of a wet Wednesday night at several days, discussing British Airways. I mean, honestly, what is going on? But lots of home ties in there, Matt. So I'm confident we're going to get a lot of teams through into the second round. You know, there'll be teams there, and we know it's to stop strong step five leagues. There'll be teams there who'll be confident in going through, and we're hopeful that we'll get a result, yeah? Yeah, and I'll have to say, why are they playing the homestow? How can they still have an edge in this competition? What have they done? What have they done to do? Well, they went deeper at last year, didn't they? They got quite a little way last year, and I think, no, it's glee'd, do you? I don't think glee'd have gone in yet either, because they've had a good couple of years' runs as well. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I will find out, won't we? We'll find out at times. Yeah, I think I must be saying, yeah, so. Absolutely. In the Skefel Premier Division of Saturday, it's Hollings and Blair against Larkfield and Newheyes. Kennington and Hose from Corinthian. Good job, you know, to take on Fisher, it's rustled against Holmesdale, and then choosing like bases against Lidtown. Foundation against Larkfield and Newheyes. Glee'd meet Irith and Belvedere. Holmesdale take on Fisher. Lordswood against Susson Athletic. Punjab host VCD, and what should be a cracking clash. It's not only against Kennington, and Tumbridge Wells take on Corinthian before a Wednesday night, it stands filled against Russell. In the first division, Brydon Oates take on Staiplus Monet. It's Canterbury City against Hall's Athletic. Croydon against Greenways. Lewis and Burr against Meridian VP. Sports and Club Thames meet against Tootingbeck. Wellingtown against Forest Hill Park, and then in midweek, there's just the one game on Tuesday night. The Meridian VP hosts Clapton Community. Just the one game for us to worry about, and then actually South at the weekend, which was a one-nil home defeat for Welling against Eastbourne, which leaves the wings just a point outside the drop zone. And I'm not calling any game a six-pointer in October, but the wings head to St. Alden's on Saturday, one of the sides below them. Just one win so far this season, and then on Tuesday night, they take on Enfieldtown, who are also below them. They need to pick up some points and put some gap between those and the teams below. I know we spoke about them at length last week, but it's quite simple. These are two winnable games for Welling, even despite their current whore form, and they need to go out and get some results, don't they? Yeah, I'll push you right. Two wins out of that push right at the table, forget maybe about relegation-wise, but had a message from Nigel at the weekend. He said, "Oh, we couldn't see what the next win was coming from." So, yeah, interesting. Well, have really gone wrong for Welling. I know you've let players go again. Yeah, you feel that St. Albans, I think he won for the first time, maybe last week or the week before. And to all odds that normally, a side right at the top end of the table, you feel that Welling have got to try and get a result there. Should be an interesting afternoon. One string under a little bit of pressure, but a bit like, obviously, with those two big games coming up, I think, yeah, they need four points from them at least, John. I think just to boost the confidence of the cover. Yeah, I think one string is probably putting himself on the more pressure than anybody else will be putting him under, because he's a winner, and he'll be devastated with how things have gone for them so far. Yeah, again, goal scoring is a problem, like 11 goals, 11 games. Last season, it wasn't a problem for them. Got the right players, the right mix, the right formation, everything was working fine. So again, back-to-back wins can make this all very, very happy, and the doom and gloom that we'll probably were giving Welling fans could be out the window, but got to pick up results. Yes, elsewhere this week, Thomas Angels are the third team from Ken in the last fortnight's head to working, well, Maystone hosts Slough, and then a Monday night Maystone go to Avelie, and Tuesday Angels host Dorking Wanderers. That just seems to be the National League. We're off to the FA Cup exit. Epstein can fully focus on shifting up the league table, but in contrast to Welling, they've got a tough old week, as they first head to third place York on Saturday, and then travel west to second place Forest Green on Tuesday night. That's not the one, is it, Matt? They get anything out of that. That's a real bonus. They've got wheels that don't come in up, so maybe they're looking from that, but just try and put on a performance everything, try and get some confidence, interesting to see what their side is, compared to the FA Cup, but it's going to be a tough couple of games for Harry Watley, I think, and nobody expects him from that. If it doesn't rain, it pours. At least it's not raining here anymore, so that's going to be through everybody. I mean, I am coming our way. Well, I don't know. It was Tumbridge Wells within Seven Oaks, so maybe it's sort of going up towards London, and away, so if you're lucky, but it really has chucked it down, which has not been that much fun for me, I'm going to be honest with you. I still haven't watched it, but with Slow Horse is good. Excellent, really good, very enjoyable. Yes, yeah, again, I will be reading the next book. I've probably said this on holiday next week, and I've renewed it for two more series, John, so plenty more excitement to come from that program. Yeah, it is amazing, and we are going to sit down and watch some. Over the weekend, we were in on Saturday. I'm going to go to a game, I think, on Saturday, I think. I haven't quite decided where yet, but I'm going to head to a game on Saturday. I'm not going to go on watch British Airways. No, I've got a couple of places in mind, but we shall see how that all pans out. And then Sunday nights, the greatest band in the world, are performing their full album, in full at the Shepherd's Wish Empire, and I cannot bloody wait. I've had tickets for it since March. It's going to be absolutely fantastic. So, I'm on the Biff. As always, got nothing I was really excited to put. Didn't go to the club. I had a roast dinner on Sunday. I promised it was beef. The beef was delicious, the veg was cold, and it had roast beetroot on it, which bled all over the plate. But apart from that, it was absolutely delicious. And the starter was incredible. The shepherd, right. That's the one I was on the slope, was that? Just like that one? No, that's Brixton. Brixton, all right, I've run at them from there. Have I seen? I don't know if I've been to Shepherd's Wish Empire. I've never been to Shepherd's Bush, so I'm looking forward to my, my first Shepherd's Wish experience. They're playing their first album, just track one to track twelve or whatever in order, is it? I think that's the plan. I think they're going to play the first album in full, and then they're going to play some other songs that are perhaps they don't play too often. So, it's not going to be your many of horror, and your living is a problem in bubbles, and all the big songs. I think they're going to play some of the sort of rarer songs. So, they're doing three nights in London, three nights in Glasgow. They're playing the first album, and the first night of both, the second album, the second night of both, and the third album, the third night, with a bit of a mixture. Rumour is there's no support at, so we're expecting a good couple of hours of pure, busy entertainment, so that should be really good. It was difficult to pick which album to go for, to be honest, it was like trying to choose which of the cats are like the most. Oh, I see. But in the end, I went for the first album, which was released in 2002. So, some of these songs, some of these songs they haven't played for a long time, and ultimately, the decision came down to the fact they've got one song that I absolutely love, that I'll probably say is my favourite, and I don't know when I'm going to see them play it again, so this was the opportunity. But there will be hardcore fans there, John, not yourself. Absolutely, it's going to be quite something, so really looking forward to that, and then... You'll be in the Mosh Pit with you, you won't have to think so, right? Unfortunately, we're on the top balcony, so our Mosh Pitting will be harder to come by, shall we say. But do you know what, it's going to be a great nights entertainment, and I cannot bloody wait. So, yeah, it's going to be good fun, but I mean, I guess on balance, no, I'd rather be going to Biffy on Sunday than going to Portugal, and that's how much I love them. Well, there you go. Well, I'll be looking forward to the next week, sitting by the pool reading my book, and going through the scores, and finding out when somebody says something about British Airways. When I see a British Airways play, I'm going to go out and see one of their staff members say, "Any idea how you got on against Famish with yesterday, mate?" You'll know the score by then, so you won't be able to go out to them. Well, I think they said to me, "Yeah, yeah, we won 2-1. Great result, I'll give it back to respect." Yeah, but you can also go up to them, because I'm assuming- Well, where are they based? Crawley, British Airways. Aren't they over Heath? I think they're over Heathway, aren't they? Well, they've got that way, right? British Airways FC. I'm looking at them up now just to, but what's an amazing- It's made by day that British Airways, brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. British Airways FC, here we go. So they are in- They're based in Ashford in Surrey, the other Ashford. They're in the Combined County's Premier Division North. They play at the Spellthorn Sports Club, Graham's sharing with Spellthorn Sports. Their home kit is blue shirts and white shorts. They're away kit is red shirts and white shorts. They were the work scene of the British Overseas Airways Corporation, then merged with British European Airways. They've gone this way. They were runners up in Division 1 in 20-23-24. One promotion last season via the playoffs. So do you know what? It's not good. Yeah, they're not terrible. So it could be an interesting tie. But all we know is that, you know, your Boeing 747 is no match, hopefully, for what you've got at Salters Lane. So we shall see how it all plays out over the weekend. You can find us on social media. We're on X-Acts NL Podcast. We're on Facebook, Search for Kent only podcast. And you can search for the group Kent non-league football chats. Oh, we're also on threads. And Instagram @ Kent non-league podcast. I am @JohnPips82. I'm Matt Zuckmakke on the school job. Thank you. Everybody for listening to this week's show. I braved it through the rain. I have survived. I had a little bit of a cold before I came here. So God knows. I haven't been to be feeling later on. But time will tell. We'll bring you all of the information from this game that I'm watching into the second half out. Still separate this one. Sitting one one. But I'm having a nice evening. That's all that matters. And we will speak to them next week. Well, definitely I'll speak to you on the Kent only podcast. I have to say 0.14% of the people of Seven Oaks go and watch them play based on their average attendance. Seven Oaks, to me, are a sleeping giant with that population. Especially after they've beaten sitting boy this evening. Or not as the case may have been. Great interview John.

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