Bostik Supporters Preview 17/18: Ashford United

The next in our long line of Bostik season previews- this time featuring Neil Chamberlain for the Nuts & Bolts!

We asked a supporter from each of our member clubs to answer the same series of questions as part of our preview of the new season. We also asked them to predict how their particular division would finish, from one to 24- and their answers will be revealed in a collection of Supporters Prediction Tables to be released the day before the big kick off.

Here are the answers of Neil Chamberlain representing Ashford United.

1. What was your favourite moment of last season?

My favourite moment of last season has to be watching Ashford United lift the Southern Counties East championship trophy on the last day of the season. We drew a crowd of 807 to Homelands that day to see us beat Rochester 7-0 and the atmosphere around the ground was superb. It was our 4th season in that league finishing 2nd, 2nd and 3rd, so it was well overdue! Ashford had already lifted the Kent Senior Trophy but this was the icing on the cake and something I'll never forget.

2. And your worst moment?

Personally my worst moment was when we lost 3-0 away at Sevenoaks near the end of the season. Our squad was depleted through injuries and suspensions and the rest... well they just didn't turn up for the first 15 mins. Myself along with many others felt the league title could be slipping away once again.

3. How will you do this season?

I have full confidence in our young manager Danny Lye, he's played lots of football at this level and has a good insight into what's needed to succeed. Lyzee has been great for AUFC, really helping to move the club forward, he's brought in some good experience throughout the squad over the last season and added two more this summer in Tyrell Richardson-Brown and Sam Long. We haven't the biggest of squads but we have a pretty handy group of youngsters in our under 21 and under 18 squads.
I predict a top 6 finish for the "Nuts & Bolts"

4. Which matches are you most looking forward to going to- and why?

There's so many! The local derby games e.g Hythe, Sittingbourne, Faversham and so on for hopefully some good crowds and atmosphere.
Guernsey away will be interesting and a new ground for us to.

5. What is your favourite away ground?

Over the last few seasons my favourite has been the Culvenden the home of Tunbridge Wells. The games have always been a top advert for non league football, both sets of fans are loud with loads of banter flying about but despite the result we always had a good drink after the games.
With so many covered areas (great for acoustics) and it being a big derby game I'm looking forward to visiting Hythe this season.

6. Who do you consider your biggest rivals- and why?

Historically our biggest rivals have been Folkestone, mainly due to locality and being in the same leagues for years in the past and players often jumping between clubs, those games used to get big crowds. Unfortunately they stayed up last season!
This season personally I'd say Hythe is our biggest rival in the Bostik South as they're the closest club to us and also have a few ex Ashford players in their squad.

7. What advice would you give to any away supporter visiting you for the first time?

Biggest advice I'd give would be to plan your journey if you're using public transport!!
Homelands is a long way out of the town of Ashford so really you'll need to get taxis to and from the ground from the station.

Our supporters have a Facebook page, "Ashford United Supporters United We Stand"
Any traveling fans can contact our fans on there for help with taxis. It's been known to arrange to meet up in the town and share larger cabs to the ground, with a friendly beer before of course.

There's plenty of parking at the ground if you plan to travel by car.

We have a cracking new bar at the ground which is open to all from 1pm, a tea bar, plenty of covered seating and two covered shallow terraced ends.
The pitch is now 3G, so anyone that's visited us before... no need to worry about how deep the mud will be!! The game will be on.

8. Who is your favourite player of all time (for your club)- and why?

This is a tough one! So many fly into my head from watching Ashford Town/United since the late eighties.. Geoff Ross, Dave Arter, Mark Stanton, the Pearson brothers up to Shaun Welford, Rory Hill...
I'll go for Geoff Ross, magic on the wing in a few spells at the club, it felt like every time he went on one of his runs he'd either score himself of put the ball on Arters head for a goal. Ross-Arter-GOAL!

9. Finally, predict who will fill the top five positions at the end of the forthcoming season:

Greenwich Borough, Hastings United, Corinthian Casuals, Ashford United, Hythe Town.

Where next?

Bostik Supporters Preview 17/18: Margate Back into the Premier Division for our latest supporters predictions- this time courtesy of Martin Black of Margate
Calling all programme editors, football writers and amateur stattos… Isthmian Archive about to get much bigger and even better

The Pitching In Isthmian Football League newsletter

Keep up-to-date with our exclusive email newsletters.

Subscribe