Thamesmead Town Pre-Season Programme

T H E O F F I C I A L M A T C H D AY P R O G R A M M E

£1.00

PRE -SE ASON

2016/17 SEASON

THE MEAD

vs

DARTFORD

Tuesday 19th July vs Kick-Off: 7:45pm

vs

Saturday 16 July Kick-Off: 12:00pm

EBBSFLEET UNITED

WELLING UNITED

Thursday 21st July Kick-Off: 7:45pm

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CHAIRMAN’S NOTES

PAUL

BOWDEN-BROWN As the start of the new Ryman League season gets closer by the day, Mike Green’s been talking to Club Chairman PAUL BOWDEN-BROWN…

MG: Mr. Chairman, another season of Mead football begins this week with three amazing games against three of our local neighbours - it’s a great line-up isn’t it?

PBB: Yes, and it’s all down to me appointing Tommy to the club as our new manager! It’s his contacts and his hard work that has resulted in these three great pre-season games being held at SCT this coming week, and I’d like to take this opportunity in welcoming all of our friends from Princes Park, Stonebridge Road and Park View Road to this SCT in the next few days. If pre-season is anything to go by, we will have a great season ahead of us; I feel he has once again brought professionalism back to the club something that has been missing during last season!

MG: Your column in the last programme of last season highlighted just how disappointed everyone at the club was at the time - just how difficult for you personally were those weeks in April and May? PBB: To be honest in my time at Maidstone, there were periods like that – but not here at Thamesmead!

During the 18 years at Maidstone, I had many ups and downs but at the end of it football won through!

MG: And so we start a new season with a new man at the helm. What was your thinking behind Tommy’s appointment?

PBB: I sat down with Ian and looked at the alternatives – they all involved a great deal of financial investment, and unfortunately within this club that’s something I have to find the majority of. Special mention here must be made of great support I (and for that matter the club) has had from Richard, my Son. Our Company – Greywood – has supported the club well since I have been here. Anyway I decided to advertise the post of manager, and we had applications from some very good candidates. But for whatever reason, the short list we had didn’t seem right! It was then that Tommy’s name came up when I was talking about the position in the boardroom. I knew of him of course from playing against him whilst he was at Horsham and Tonbridge but didn’t know him personally! My immediate response was he would not want to come here, but on the way home thought that a phone call

could not do any harm. Tommy agreed to meet when he explained what he could bring to the club – never asking for millions but enough to ensure we would have a chance at promotion or at least the Play-offs. So it was then down to me – did I want sleepless nights worrying about our league positions and not enjoying Saturday evenings when we lose (despite knowing that all teams lose at times)?

But in the end I agreed with my family that I would take the plunge and stick with the club for the next 5 years until I am 75.

MG: So just how excited are you about the approaching nine months?

PBB: I am very excited about the future, and I am sure Tommy and Alex will put together a winning squad I only hope I can do them all justice but yes I believe it will be another great year in the history of this fine club.

MG: We’re speaking before the league fixtures have been announced because of deadlines, but what an amazing draw the clubs been given in the FA Cup - the first FA Cup tie ever to be played in

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CHAIRMAN’S NOTES

the Channel Islands. It really is an amazing draw isn’t it?

PBB: Well when I was given this draw I said “Okay, that’s another game I am going to miss”, as I thought that I was going to be on the Pullman train to Windsor (a gift for Christine that was booked a year ago – it would be more than my life to back out and join my players on their journey to Guernsey.

I thought that as in previous years the cup would played be on Bank Holiday weekend and that’s the day of the trip – 27th August. But lucky for me, the FA in their wisdom have changed the dates of the round, and so yes, I will be joining Tommy and the squad on their journey flying over to the island on the Friday evening and returning on the Saturday.

It’s ironic really as you probably remember that just last year we brought Jersey over to play us here at the SCT in a pre-season game that I felt was very successful and sponsored by our landlords Peabody. Unfortunately due to problems at the Jersey end, the return trip didn’t happen this year and so a trip to Guernsey will be a great alternative – I am assured we will all enjoy the experience and I do believe we can win the game.

MG: The club is working hard in the local community - it’s an area you’re very keen on isn’t it?

PBB: Yes it is. In my conversations with Ian, one thing we did agree on was that all the community work we have already done had to continue and even do more. In a bid to achieve this, I’ve employed a Football in the Community Manager – Steve Rous – who will be working in local schools supplying coaching sessions, as well as arranging after school clubs and summer holiday camps – the first of which I’m pleased to say has already been arranged.

“Working in the Community” together with ensuring our Academy goes from strength to strength is important to me. Thank you to those families that have taken up the family season ticket already (let’s hope more join you this season) and watch out for the young school children that will join our passport scheme in the coming months that will allow them free entrance if accompanied by an adult who will only be charged £5 instead of the usual £9. These initiatives are just part of the larger plan to ensure that our local community forms a big part of this fine and proud old club that will always need the backing of its supporters!

We as a football club have a duty to ensure that we act professionally and ensure that the local youth of the area have a pathway to play in the first-team should they wish it. It was disappointing the unfortunate way our youth set-up was taken from our club whilst I was hospitalized. But be assured we are already planning to replace the outgoing with our own academy structure which will be run as professionally as our neighbours and first pre-season guests Dartford have demonstrated. I fully support and back the great work that is being done by Gary and his staff within the under 21s and that is at the top of the list working alongside the first-team requisites.

MG: You’ve touched on it already Mr. Chairman, so a personal question to finish with - you’ve had your own health problems over the summer - how are you feeling now?

PBB: I think it has been well documented that last October I had major spinal surgery that had been planned for many months before, that I can now confirm was very successful.

But it was my right knee replacement that has been causing me a great deal of pain, discomfort and indeed a long period of hospitalisation followed by 8 months of recuperation that I am now 12 weeks into. I’m now allowed to drive, so I can get around – it’s the pain killers make me a party pooper, making me very tired and certainly not able to enjoy a pint as you all know I like! I cannot thank Christine enough for looking after me when I could not move either leg or bend to dress and Ian for holding the fort whilst I was away. But as they say the King is very much alive and has five years of work to achieve before he considers retiring – so yes I am back to my normal old self…

MG: Finally, Mr. Chairman, your message for the Mead faithful...

PBB: Keep faith with my decisions because believe me they are only made for the long term financial stability of the club. Keep faith with Tommy, his management team and players because they want to ensure that all the supporters enjoy their visits to SCT. And finally, you the supporters are the only reason I am here at the club! So be assured, this will be a very exciting season – so let’s together enjoy it, and remember this club is nothing without your support. The community initiatives that we’re putting in place for the new season will hopefully show that without doubt I want our local community to be part of this fine old club that will always need the support of its supporters. You have my word that I will always ensure you are a main part of this club. You are the 12th player in the team as all our players really do fully appreciate your support. Enjoy these three great fixtures against our local neighbours to get us started – enjoy the ride!

“I feel he has once again brought professionalism back to the club, something that has been missing during last season!”

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MANAGER’S NOTES

Tommy

WARRILOW MIKE GREEN has been to talk to the Mead’s new boss TOMMY WARRILOW to look ahead to the club’s pre-season as we begin to focus on the big Ryman league kick in just four week’s time…

MG: I guess that now is when your work starts in earnest as far as most people are concerned; are you ready for such a run of games?

TW: It seems to be the way of pre-season now – a lot of teams will have already played before we start against Dartford.

Pre-season these days seems to be so playing orientated – we’re still short of a few players which is a downside for us playing so early, but we know where

we are in the pecking order. We know there are players on trial elsewhere at clubs further up the pyramid – I’ve spoken to a few lads who are going to trials elsewhere which is fair enough as they might fall in at a later date. It’s not ideal playing these four games in the space of one week but at the same time I cannot thank Tony (Burman), Darryl (McMahon) and Mark (Goldberg) enough, along with everyone involved with Dartford, Ebbsfleet and Welling for coming to the SCT to play us. Our boys will now get to play four games in a week with the trip to Worthing next weekend and it’ll give me and OB a chance to pick the bones out of what we do currently have.

All three managers are good friends of mine which has helped in arranging the games, but it’s good to see three of the club’s neighbours coming here to play us. They’ve done me a massive favour bringing their respective first-team squads to play us as I know that they get a lot of calls for games this stage of the year. I was in a similar position at Tonbridge where we were

the “big club” and the so called lesser teams were always on the phone calling you up for games and you tried to accommodate everyone, especially those guys you know. But you can’t please everyone, and so we’re all very grateful for the three quality games.

MG: Four weeks from the big kickoff – how are things going?

TW: We’re still probably four players short of a team that I’d want to put out on day one of the league. We’ve got a squad forming with some lads coming in who are still very raw and sometimes that’s great to have as I’ve got quite an experienced squad here.

The youngsters have got to realise that the lower you go the harder it gets but they all seem to know that already. You don’t get the time on the ball as these lads are running their socks off. That said that’s exactly what getting out of this league is going to be all about – not just working hard but working with their brain and not just running around everywhere. I’m looking forward to these three games as they’re three really tough fixtures followed by the Worthing trip who

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SQUADS THAMESMEAD TOWN

Manager: Tommy Warrilow

DEREN IBRAHIM

RICHARD BUTLER

TOM GARDINER

AINSLEY EVERETT GIANNOULIS FAKINOS CHARLIE HIMBURY

TOM BONNER KEATON WOOD

LAURENT MENDY

ALEX BROWN

STEVE SPRINGETT ADRIAN STONE PAUL VINES JOE VINES ANDY WALKER WARREN WHITELY

WELCOME...

The Official Matchday Programme

RONNIE VINT

ELLIS BROWN

NATHAN SIMPSON

THAMESMEAD TOWN

TOM WYNTER

SCOTT KINCH JAY PORTER

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Manager: Tony Burman

PHILIPPE BLAETTLER LUKE COLEMAN

We start our pre-season by welcoming Tony Burman and his Dartford side for a Saturday lunch time kick-off. The Darts narrowly missed out on the National League South Play-Off’s last season and that must surely be the club’s aim this time around. The club will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of their return to their home

DARTFORD

DANNY HARRIS ANDY PUGH ALBERT JARRETT KAKA DEMBELE TONY COXALL LEE NOBLE RYAN HAYES DAJON GOLDING WALE AYOOLA BEN FRANCIS

borough after nearly 15 years in the wilderness. What better way to celebrate than to win a return back to the National Premier when their campaign begins on August 6th. We welcome the Darts to the SCT to kick off our pre-season, and wish them well for the coming campaign.

Following just three days later, we

will host Ebbsfleet United. Darryl McMahon’s side suffered the heartache of losing a penalty shootout in last season’s National League South Play-off final to Maidstone, in what was a disappointing end to a season where the Fleet had lead the table for the majority of the campaign. There have been many changes at Stonebridge Road

EBBSFLEET UNITED Manager: Daryl McMahon

WELLING UNITED Manager: Mark Goldberg

NATHAN ASHMORE (GK)

CHRIS LEWINGTON

HUGO ATKINSON

MICHAEL NELSON

OLLIE BOULDING

JORDAN BROWN

KENNY CLARK

SAM CORNE

JACK CONNORS

SEAN FRANCIS

MATT FISH

GEORGE ALLEN

REISS GREENIDGE

PIERRE JOSEPH-DUBOIS

KARN MILLER-NEAVE

DANNY WALDREN

MARK PHILLIPS

JAMIE SLABBER

DAVE WINFIELD

BOBBY DEVYNE

ANTHONY COOK

OLIVER SPRAGUE

SAM DEERING

RICKY HAYLES

JONATHAN MILES (GK)

JOSHUA SMITH

BILLY HOLMES

JOSH JACKSON

JOHN-PAUL KISSOCK

MASON BUSH

STUART LEWIS

JOEY TAYLOR

JORDAN PARKES

JONTE SMITH

DEAN RANCE

ARCHIE JOHNSON

SEAN SHIELDS

LIAM MACDEVITT

BRADLEY BUBB DANNY KEDWELL AARON MCLEAN CHARLIE SHERINGHAM during the summer both on and off the field, with the ground currently undergoing redevelopment, and the playing staff seeing a number of new faces some of whom we hope to welcome to the SCT with our thanks and best wishes for the season.

Our final guests make the shortest journey as new Welling United boss

Mark Goldberg brings his side to the SCT. The Wings will be joining the Darts and the Fleet in National league South this season after being relegated from the Premier in April.

Goldberg, the Wings third boss in a year, will be looking to bounce straight back at the first attempt, although the former Bromley boss will be the first to admit that the task

his new side faces is a tough one in a division that is sure to be very competitive – and that’s just their two Kent neighbours! Welcome to the Wings and best wishes to them for the season…

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MANAGER’S NOTES

were promoted last season. I want the squad to get on and take things out of every game. I know it’s an old saying but I do care about the results – my Tonbridge side lost ten-nil to Brentford one year and we went and got promoted through the Play-Offs at the end of the season. It’s not nice to lose like that as people start thinking what are we doing here but that’s what can happen but we got what I wanted – a tough start!

MG: Have to ask you about the Mead’s mouth-watering Cup draw… the first Cup tie that will played off of the British “mainland”…

TW: It’s a brilliant draw against a good tough side especially on their home ground, and a ground that I’ve never been to! I know if they travel midweek some of their players struggle but at home they’re always strong. Should be a good crowd so the Chairman should be happy(!) but what we’ve got to remember is that they play at the same level as we do albeit in Ryman South, so there’s no easy draws really at this stage of the competition – we know what to expect and we’ll go there organised travelling the night before with no excuses and enjoy it! It’s fantastic that we’ll be creating history – I come to Thamesmead and create FA Cup history, that’s no bad is

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it? I’ve only been here five minutes…

MG: Have you got any words for the Mead supporters who this week will be watching a Warrilow side for the first time?

TW: Don’t get too carried away if we start well this week, but on the reverse don’t get too down if we don’t. It’s going to be a long season and it will be all about getting it right at the right time. If we can start well and sustain that it’ll be brilliant but realistically that doesn’t happen very often – if you look at all teams that start like a train don’t always stay at the top!

So long as the gap doesn’t get too big we should be OK! I always look to fifth spot as the guide as the cut-off point but make no mistake, our goal won’t just be the Play-Offs, we’ll be aiming higher, but at the same time I am a realist and it’s a strong league with some big pots of money involved.

As long as we finish the season with something to play for at the right end of the table, I’ll be happy. But as we start today, my first target is Saturday 13th August by when I would like to know and be as happy as I can be with my starting eleven.

At the moment, I won’t lie to anyone, if you asked me for my team for that day, I couldn’t do it. Having Joe

(Vines) suspended for the first three games won’t help, but I’ve been doing this job now long enough to know that someone will come along in the next few weeks and could force their way through and into the reckoning. There’s still a long time until August 13th which is a good thing and in the meantime we’ve good playing minutes and six other training sessions after the next week to get right what undoubtedly is going to be highlighted over the four games. After Worthing there are two sessions; after Tonbridge there are two more sessions and in the week before the league starts, there are final two sessions, and it’s those training sessions that could prove to be the most important!

MG: And finally, a message for the Mead faithful?

TW: Please get behind us – the response from you since our arrival so far has been second to none, and we all really do appreciate it. Whatever happens this week, remember its only part of the bigger picture and we will need your support all the way from now until the end of next April.

Thanks for coming…

Tommy Warrilow First-team Manager

MATCH ACTION

MEAD

MATTERS HOOLS SUMMER SOCCER SC

nity Officer Steve Our Football in the Commu mer Soccer Rous has arranged three Sum the following: on d hel be Schools. They are to

rsday 28th July at Monday 25th July to Thu D 5N ELITE VENUE, DA12 rsday 4th August Monday 1st August to Thu L, DA6 7QB at ST COLUMBAS SCHOO to Friday 12th st Wednesday 10th Augu LY, SE28 8AT PO CH WI August at WOOL on 07404 311008 For full details, contact Steve or email townfc@outlook.com Community_thamesmead

WANTED - FIRST-TEAM KIT “PERSON” / ACADEMY PHYSIO The club is looking for to fill both of these roles – if you’re interested in either in the first instance please contact commercialttfc@live.co.uk

ACADEMY TRAILS Our Academy are holding the final trials for September’s intake over the next three Tuesday’s – July 19th, July 26th and August 2nd – here at the SCT. For full details please contact Academy Manager Ian Docker at ian. docker.id@gmail.com

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MEAD MATTERS

VERTISING SPONSORSHIP & AD OPPORTUNITIES

nces for you We have many exciting cha coming the ing dur ad Me to back the sing erti adv ter ime per from season yer pla to to match sponsorship le packages sponsorship – we’ve availab for all budgets…

COMING SOON When the new scho ol year begins, watch out for the official launch of the TTFC PASSPORT – our fantastic new sc heme for all primary schools in and around Thamesmead…

rcialttfc@live.co.uk for Contact the club at comme any club official on full details or alternatively see match-days…

STOP PRES S

As we went to press, we receive d confirmation of the Mead’s final pre-season gam e. On Saturday 6th August, we will entertain CHIPSTEAD of Ryman League Division One So uth here at the SCT with a 3:00pm kick off.

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S SEASON TICKETS

ady renewed To all those who have alre are available to y the s, your Season Ticket collect today. en’t got yours, For those of you, who still hav for a whole .00 £30 just s it’ a reminder that ole season! Full family of four for the wh form, which you’ll details are on the application programme… this of er cov k find inside the bac et from the Alternatively, pick up the leafl boardroom

THAMESMEAD TOWN FAMILY SEASON TICKET APPLICATION FORM

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UPCOMING FIXTURES WORTHING (A)

SATURDAY 23 JULY KICK-OFF - 3:00

TONBRIDGE ANGELS (A)

SATURDAY 30 JULY KICK-OFF - 3:00

CHIPSTEAD (H)

SATURDAY 6 AUGUST KICK-OFF - 3:00

GUERNSEY (A)

SATURDAY 20 AUGUST KICK-OFF - TBC EMIRATES FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND

CORINTHIAN CASUALS (A)

SATURDAY 8 OCTOBER KICK-OFF 3:00 FA CARLSBERG TROPHY