Bostik Supporters Preview 17/18: Folkestone Invicta

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.

Because of a clerical error, we ended up with two previews for Folkestone Invicta- we had more offers from their supporters than from any other club, we could have had six! As they were both so good, we decided to combine them, so here they are, courtesy of Paul Gotch and Michael Cork.

1. What was your favourite moment of last season?

Paul: The final day win at Grays Athletic that ensured another season in the Premier League. The atmosphere generated by the away fans led by Herbie and his drum was fantastic. This was a third straight win in an unlikely run of results, to achieve “The Great Escape”.

Mick: The final whistle in our 1-0 home win over Tonbridge Angels on Easter Monday which made us all but safe from relegation.Nat Blanks hardly ever scores and he got the goal too.

2. And what was the worst moment?

Paul: The home loss to Hendon that looked like it had relegated us. The remaining fixtures looked very difficult and it was hard to see Folkestone Invicta staying up.

Mick: Losing 2-1 at home to Hendon in a vital relegation battle in mid-April. Definitely one of our poorest performances of last season, and one that left survival a long way from being certain. I guess the very worst moment was when their second goal went in as we never looked like getting back in the game after that.

3. How will you do this season?

Paul: I am hoping that we will establish ourselves in the Premier League and finish in a comfortable mid-table position.

Mick: You never can tell. With several new players – who have looked good so far – and some good ones gone it may depend on what sort of start we make, though, like the manager, I tend to judge things by how we’ve done after 9/10 games.
An FA Cup run would be nice,

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

Paul: Margate away on New Year’s Day……enough said!

Mick: The first three or four league games. I’ll be pleased when the Phoney War is over and we get the chance to see how we might do this season.

5. What is your favourite away ground?

Paul: Hythe Town FC, purely for the derby atmosphere.

Mick: Champion Hill at Dulwich is excellent though we’ve not done well there for a while. At least you get a big crowd of reasonably nice people and the Hamlet play decent football.

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

Paul: Hythe Town FC have always been the big local rivals for me, and have provided some great derby matches, both home and away.

Mick: Our greatest enemies are Dover but they’re too far above us now to worry about. So it’ll probably be Margate for the time being as they are down in our league. They’re always so flash, spend money like water but somehow keep going. They pinched our captain from us during the summer as well – though he’s 29 and this is probably the last time he’ll earn the crazy sort of money that they are paying.

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

Paul: Arrive early to sample the Greene King beers in the newly re-furbished “Bar Invicta” and to get your food from the Seasider Bar before the queue gets too long.

Michael: Come by train. We’ve got two stations less than a mile away – Folkestone West is probably only about 400-500 yards. And the M20 can often be very difficult even if the dreaded Operation Stack may be rarer than it used to be. If you don’t live down this way you can’t appreciate what a nightmare that has been when we’ve had bad weather in the channel, problems with the Tunnel or simply just far too much traffic coming down from the London direction.

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

Paul: Probably this accolade would go to Michael Everitt, a long serving midfielder who came out of retirement at the end of last season to spearhead “The Great Escape”. He has now agreed a contract to play another season and his experience will be invaluable on and off the pitch.

Mick: So hard this one. There have been so many. Nicky Dent (1998-2001) had a cracking shot on him with no backlift to speak about. Also able to look after himself when the going got tough.

That last point also applied to Carl Rook – talk about Marmite! If you listened to some supporters he was he worst player we’d ever signed, but we’d never have won the league without him. He could drive you mad at times, but in the important games he was massive – Worthing 1 Invicta 2 towards the end of our title winning season being a classic example.
That result put them out of the running for the championship though they did get up via the play-offs.

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

Paul: Tooting & Mitcham, Brightlingsea Regent, Lowestoft Town, Dulwich Hamlet, Billericay Town. Mick forgot to provide a prediction, which is just as well as it would have thrown our final supporters prediction table out of kilter!