It’s the publication of the fixture list when it really hits you: Fisher are not in Kansas any more. The tornado of the last few months has dumped us in the Kent Premier Division, given us some new names to conjure with, and reason to be thankful for Google Maps. Lordswood, Norton Sports, and Sporting Bengal are just some of the exotic away trips ahead of us this season alongside more familiar foes from seasons past.
Here then is part one of your 2009/10 Kent Premier Division preview. Information has been sourced from the usual web-based suspects and therefore stands a distinct chance of being wrong. Teams are taken in the order the Fish are scheduled to face them in the league. Driving directions are linked to for each team, starting from the Surrey Docks Stadium.
Last season: 13th
Home ground: The Small Glen
Directions
An away trip to start the season, but will Slade Green be around to play the game? The consensus on the Kent League Forum suggests that they will not, which would be a shame as the club has a history stretching back to the end of World War 2. The team have spent every season since 1969 in the Kent League, never achieving more than mid-table respectability. A Kent Senior Trophy triumph in 1992 is their greatest achievement to date, and looks likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.
The Fish predicts: no trip to the Small Glen this year, as it looks almost certain that Slade will not start the 2009/10 season.
Last season: 15th
Home ground: Eden Park Avenue
Directions
Ah, Beckenham. This is more like it: a ding-dong derby to start the first home campaign of the new Fisher. It’s fair to say that Beckenham and the Fish have not seen eye-to-eye in recent years, despite sharing a somewhat, er, muddy past. If you visit their website, be sure to put your shades on as it does a very decent impersonation of the News of the World site – including plastering the front page with pictures of hot babes. Somewhat improbably, the club claim to have signed ex-England and Manchester United star Teddy Sheringham, though apparently only for FA Vase fixtures. Other new signings include four from Kent County League side Orpington, and Ryan Hillary from Staines. Beckenham and Fisher have swapped players on a regular basis over recent years, and if the club’s website is to be believed we could see the return of former Fish keeper Michael Holder who, if this photo is anything to go by, hasn’t turned down too many dinners lately. However forum posts suggest Noddy has been given the elbow in favour of one of the aforementioned Orpington boys.
The Fish predicts: 9th place. Beckenham are talking big, and their new owner appears to have some celebrity connections. That said, recent signings appear to be from lower levels and remains to be seen whether they can be moulded into a competitive side at Premier League level. Perhaps Teddy will turn up and strut his stuff on a regular basis, otherwise a mid-table finish beckons for Becks.
Last season: 3rd
Home ground: Oakley Road (groundshare with Holmesdale)
Directions
More old friends in the form of Greenwich Borough, who are currently playing in Bromley at the home of Holmesdale FC. Last season’s manager Dave Mehmet used to play for Borough, as did Damien Scannell. The club have been members of the Kent League since 1984, winning it on two occasions in the 80s. A creditable third place last term belies the apparent lack of activity on their website, and assuming Borough retain a sizeable number of last year’s squad they should prove tough opposition for the Fish. Particularly as cockney hard-boys and stars of silver screen Tamer Hassan and Danny Dyer are involved with the running of the club as president and chairman respectively. Just don’t mug them off, alright?
Edit 24th July to add: the good people at the Kent League forum have kindly pointed out that Tamer and Danny have jogged on, and are no longer involved at Borough. Which is unfortunate, as that was about all I could find out about the club via google! Borough fans are welcome to update me in the comments with the real story (or even a made-up story) and it’ll make it into the printed edition of this preview in the first programme of the season.
The Fish predicts: Top 3. Borough to prove strong again, and should compete for the title.
Last season: 2nd
Home ground: Reachfields Stadium
Directions
One of the longest trips of the season, and one of the toughest too as Hythe will be looking to build on a season where they were pipped into second place by just 3 points. Last season’s manager Paul Fisk stepped down for personal reasons at the end of the season, and has been replaced by Scott Porter. Fisk has subsequently joined the board at Hythe, and a poor start could see the new boss under pressure. However Porter has retained the services of last season’s Player of the Year Pat Kingwell, though 2007/8 top scorer Buster Smissen (owner of possibly the best name in the Kent League) has jumped ship to Faversham. Hythe are off to a flier in pre-season, and must rank among the favourites for the title this season.
The Fish predicts: Champions. Clearly a well-run club, and with the nucleus of last year’s squad still together a tilt at the title is inevitable.
Last season: 8th
Home ground: Park View Road (groundshare with Welling)
Directions
With manager Chris Cosgrove leaving by the ever popular ‘mutual consent’, former Fish Paul Gorman has taken the reigns at the Deres for the new season as joint manager with Richie Radbourne. Fish fans will remember E&B as rivals from the Dr Martens East a few years ago, where we seemed to play them every other week. The Deres have been in the Kent League since a 20-year spell in the Southern League was ended by relegation in 2004/5, and will be keen to push for a return to Step 4. With a number of players arriving from the higher echelons during the close season, E&B are likely to be one of the challengers this year.
The Fish predicts: Top 4. Despite the loss of their manager, the Deres have opted for stability by promoting from within and this will be rewarded with a title challenge that just falls short.
That’s it for part one, more to follow in the coming days.
The Fish 
Kent Premier League 2009/10 Preview – Part 1
Tags: 2009/10 preview, beckenham town, erith and belvedere, Fisher, fisher fc, greenwich borough, hythe town, kent league, kent premier league, slade green
It’s the publication of the fixture list when it really hits you: Fisher are not in Kansas any more. The tornado of the last few months has dumped us in the Kent Premier Division, given us some new names to conjure with, and reason to be thankful for Google Maps. Lordswood, Norton Sports, and Sporting Bengal are just some of the exotic away trips ahead of us this season alongside more familiar foes from seasons past.
Here then is part one of your 2009/10 Kent Premier Division preview. Information has been sourced from the usual web-based suspects and therefore stands a distinct chance of being wrong. Teams are taken in the order the Fish are scheduled to face them in the league. Driving directions are linked to for each team, starting from the Surrey Docks Stadium.
Slade Green
Last season: 13th
Home ground: The Small Glen
Directions
An away trip to start the season, but will Slade Green be around to play the game? The consensus on the Kent League Forum suggests that they will not, which would be a shame as the club has a history stretching back to the end of World War 2. The team have spent every season since 1969 in the Kent League, never achieving more than mid-table respectability. A Kent Senior Trophy triumph in 1992 is their greatest achievement to date, and looks likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.
The Fish predicts: no trip to the Small Glen this year, as it looks almost certain that Slade will not start the 2009/10 season.
Beckenham Town
Last season: 15th
Home ground: Eden Park Avenue
Directions
Ah, Beckenham. This is more like it: a ding-dong derby to start the first home campaign of the new Fisher. It’s fair to say that Beckenham and the Fish have not seen eye-to-eye in recent years, despite sharing a somewhat, er, muddy past. If you visit their website, be sure to put your shades on as it does a very decent impersonation of the News of the World site – including plastering the front page with pictures of hot babes. Somewhat improbably, the club claim to have signed ex-England and Manchester United star Teddy Sheringham, though apparently only for FA Vase fixtures. Other new signings include four from Kent County League side Orpington, and Ryan Hillary from Staines. Beckenham and Fisher have swapped players on a regular basis over recent years, and if the club’s website is to be believed we could see the return of former Fish keeper Michael Holder who, if this photo is anything to go by, hasn’t turned down too many dinners lately. However forum posts suggest Noddy has been given the elbow in favour of one of the aforementioned Orpington boys.
The Fish predicts: 9th place. Beckenham are talking big, and their new owner appears to have some celebrity connections. That said, recent signings appear to be from lower levels and remains to be seen whether they can be moulded into a competitive side at Premier League level. Perhaps Teddy will turn up and strut his stuff on a regular basis, otherwise a mid-table finish beckons for Becks.
Greenwich Borough
Last season: 3rd
Home ground: Oakley Road (groundshare with Holmesdale)
Directions
More old friends in the form of Greenwich Borough, who are currently playing in Bromley at the home of Holmesdale FC. Last season’s manager Dave Mehmet used to play for Borough, as did Damien Scannell. The club have been members of the Kent League since 1984, winning it on two occasions in the 80s. A creditable third place last term belies the apparent lack of activity on their website, and assuming Borough retain a sizeable number of last year’s squad they should prove tough opposition for the Fish. Particularly as cockney hard-boys and stars of silver screen Tamer Hassan and Danny Dyer are involved with the running of the club as president and chairman respectively. Just don’t mug them off, alright?
Edit 24th July to add: the good people at the Kent League forum have kindly pointed out that Tamer and Danny have jogged on, and are no longer involved at Borough. Which is unfortunate, as that was about all I could find out about the club via google! Borough fans are welcome to update me in the comments with the real story (or even a made-up story) and it’ll make it into the printed edition of this preview in the first programme of the season.
The Fish predicts: Top 3. Borough to prove strong again, and should compete for the title.
Hythe Town
Last season: 2nd
Home ground: Reachfields Stadium
Directions
One of the longest trips of the season, and one of the toughest too as Hythe will be looking to build on a season where they were pipped into second place by just 3 points. Last season’s manager Paul Fisk stepped down for personal reasons at the end of the season, and has been replaced by Scott Porter. Fisk has subsequently joined the board at Hythe, and a poor start could see the new boss under pressure. However Porter has retained the services of last season’s Player of the Year Pat Kingwell, though 2007/8 top scorer Buster Smissen (owner of possibly the best name in the Kent League) has jumped ship to Faversham. Hythe are off to a flier in pre-season, and must rank among the favourites for the title this season.
The Fish predicts: Champions. Clearly a well-run club, and with the nucleus of last year’s squad still together a tilt at the title is inevitable.
Erith and Belvedere
Last season: 8th
Home ground: Park View Road (groundshare with Welling)
Directions
With manager Chris Cosgrove leaving by the ever popular ‘mutual consent’, former Fish Paul Gorman has taken the reigns at the Deres for the new season as joint manager with Richie Radbourne. Fish fans will remember E&B as rivals from the Dr Martens East a few years ago, where we seemed to play them every other week. The Deres have been in the Kent League since a 20-year spell in the Southern League was ended by relegation in 2004/5, and will be keen to push for a return to Step 4. With a number of players arriving from the higher echelons during the close season, E&B are likely to be one of the challengers this year.
The Fish predicts: Top 4. Despite the loss of their manager, the Deres have opted for stability by promoting from within and this will be rewarded with a title challenge that just falls short.
That’s it for part one, more to follow in the coming days.