A Derry Merry Christmas

Landlords Leatherhead took on tenants Kingstonian. We- along with 536 other folk- went along to watch.

Yesterday we interviewed Kingstonian manager Leigh Dynan for our Bostik Friday Interview slot. As engaging as ever, he chatted about the rebuilding job he’s just finished, about today’s match against Leatherhead, about his hopes for the rest of the season and his new strike partnership- Dennis Oli and Andre McCollin. We also spoke about recently departed striker Tom Derry, and his impending move to Merstham.

At 3PM the phone rang. It was Leigh, expressing his gratitude for the interview, but pointing out that there needed to be a correction. “I just thought I’d let you know,” he explained, “that I’ve just been told that Tom isn’t now signing for Merstham.” There was a pause. “He’s signed for Leatherhead.”

A match between landlords and tenants always comes with added spice. If football was curry, this match had suddenly gone from Tikka to Vindaloo.

To be absolutely fair to Leigh, he wasn’t full of righteous indignation; indeed, he didn’t even seem to be annoyed. His relationship with Tom, as he’d earlier explained, was a positive one- he’d wanted him to stay but couldn’t guarantee him the game time that he wanted, so they’d parted on good terms and indeed had spoken the previous day, when Tom had confirmed that the Specsavers Stadium was his destination of choice. But perhaps he’d left his glasses behind at Fetcham Grove and bumped into Sammy Moore whilst collecting them, because two hours after the Tanners announced the marquee signing of Chris Arthur from Aldershot Town they had a second announcement to make, and a new striker ready to make his debut in green only a few days after being in red and white at the very same stadium.

When you look at the form guide, it demonstrates quite clearly in swatches of yellow and red with occasional green that Leatherhead and Kingstonian are two of the most frustratingly inconsistent sides in the Bostik Premier League. That’s understandable for the K’s- their squad in their last match, a loss against Leiston, included only four players who were there for Dynan’s first match against Thurrock two months ago, and it’s often impossible to find consistency when so many changes are being made. Leatherhead, however, have been somewhat of an enigma- a talented side who have done remarkably well in the cup but haven’t been able to find anywhere near the same levels in the league. They’ve also had lots of change over the past few months, but that cannot be the issue as- obviously- if it had been they’d not have been so good against the likes of Billericay Town, Margate and- despite eventual defeat- Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup. They had the look of a side who you’d expect to be in the top six rather than the bottom seven, and although they did have games in hand seven wins from eighteen matches tells its own story. Tanners fans came into this match hoping that Arthur and Derry might help to rewrite that narrative.

The players emerge!

The players emerge!

The stadium at half past two was filled with festive bonhomie. Shakin’ Stevens was bellowing Merry Christmas Everyone at a volume likely to peel the green paint off the main stand (courtesy of Surrey Hills Radio, the denim-clad Welsh warbler hadn’t turned up in person), and fans of both red and green persuasion were discussing the likely outcome of today’s match in the queue at the turnstiles and at the tea bar. Speaking to supporters from both sides they had something else in common too- they described the highlight of their season as defeating Billericay Town. Seems that at all levels excessive investment sets you up as everyone’s target.

K’s fan Aidan and Tanners fan “Leatherhead Pete” actually had a great deal in common. A heathy regard for the opposition and a love of Non League football, and an affection for the environs of Fetcham Grove. The difference, however, was that Pete was singing the praises of his home stadium by choice, whereas for Aidan it was his home stadium by proxy. “I like it here, actually,” he explained. “The last few years at Kingsmeadow we felt as if we were just an inconvenience to AFC Wimbledon. At least here we’re allowed to actually behave as if we belong. It’s not the same as having your own ground, obviously, but if we had to stay here for five years it wouldn’t be terrible. I just wish it was closer to Kingston. If you have to work on a Saturday morning, by the time you get home it’s likely to be too late to get to the ground- although the free coaches are great.”

Pete, in his 39th year as a Tanner, watched the club home and away- but although he was a dedicated fan of the boys in green he was also dedicated to Non League football. He mentioned that he’d been to more than 2000 different grounds in his time, and described recent trips to Aveley and to Kingsmeadow to watch Chelsea Ladies on days when the Tanners weren’t playing, as well as matches in the North East, South Coast and just about everywhere else in between.

Something else that the two supporters agreed on was that both of their teams had underachieved this season, although Pete was quite sanguine about the situation. “I’d be happy with mid-table, really; perhaps a little higher so that Sammy has a good starting point for next season. But I’d also like us to focus on talking to the council to extend the lease on the stadium- we don’t have many years left.” He talked a great deal of sense for a man in a reindeer jumper with an elf on his head.

The match kicked off to the background of a speaker by the corner flag giving us updates on the match between Oldham Athletic and Plymouth Argyle. There was patently a technical fault, and as a home supporter threatened to hit it with a stick the voice of Jeff Stelling filled the air, before being suddenly cut off like a strangled Hartlepool monkey. The continual buzzing must have been annoying for the Kingstonian management team, but their afternoon soon got much more irritating as the home side went ahead in the fifth minute. New signings Derry and Arthur were combining well, but it was Gillingham loanee- and former Maldon & Tiptree striker- Liam Nash- who found the net, swivelling on the edge of the box to fire an unstoppable shot home. It was indeed an exceptional finish, but had you been an away fan- although, obviously, that term was relative today- you’d have been most disappointed by the fact that Nash had found acres of space on the edge of the box whilst two defenders stood, flat footed, watching him shoot. “Oh, Leather Leather, Leather Leather Leather Leather Leatherhead,” sang the home fans. They should copyright that- World of Leather might want to use it in their next advert.

Tanners fans await kick off

Tanners fans await kick off

No more than sixty seconds later and it was almost two- a wonderful cross from Arthur evading the outstretched toe of Derry by around half an inch and causing a chorus of “We are the Head,” before Kingstonian attempted to give their side something to sing about, Aristide Bassele going down in the box whilst those behind the goal yelled for a penalty. The referee simply walked away, but K’s continued to press and McCollin headed over a moment later when perhaps he should have done better. But these were relatively rare forays for the side in yellow- it was the Tanners who were controlling the game.

On the half hour Nash attempted a carbon copy of his opening goal, firing over this time, but with seven minutes remaining until the interval the advantage was doubled- and of course Derry was involved. The Kingstonian fans had light-heartedly booed his name during the pre-match announcements, but there didn’t seem to be any hard feelings towards the striker from amongst those in red and white hoops. Aidan summed up their feelings rather well. “If the manager tells you that you’re not going to play, you do what’s best for your career. I suppose we’d have rather he hadn’t come to Leatherhead, but only because we have to play them today and he’s bound to score.” He didn’t, but he was responsible for the assist that led to the Tanners going further ahead, as it was his pinpoint pull back that left the other debutant, Chris Arthur, time to hammer the ball home at the back post. It could have been three just before half time, Nash turning provider as robbed a defender at the edge of the box- winning a ball he shouldn’t have been allowed to get near- before laying it off to the impressive Sam Blackman, but the midfielders shot went past the far upright.

The second half, it must be said, was far less entertaining than the first. It wasn’t due to a lack of effort, simply that both sides struggled to create scoring chances. The Tanners had the best of the early efforts, with Jerry Nnamani just failing to connect with a Sean Clohessy free kick and Derry heading just wide, whilst the K’s worked hard without really troubling the home defence. The away supporters were soon singing a song about building a bonfire and putting the Wombles on the top, so their departure from Kingsmeadow obviously still rankles, before moving on to working the name of Andre McCollin into Town Called Malice.

With twenty minutes to go they’d moved on from imitating Woking’s finest to taking off the Pussycat Dolls, with a chorus of “Don’t cha wish your keeper was Rob Tolfrey,” after the stopper had pulled off a fine save from a Lee Minshull header, clawing the ball clear just as the home fans were sure it was a certain goal, but they had little else to shout about as, despite a flurry of pressure, the game came to an end without any reduction in arrears.

Aidan of K's

Aidan of K's

As the majority of the crowd wandered off into the night to have a green Christmas, it was confirmed that it was the Tanners highest league attendance of the season- 537. This was heartening, but it would be good to see them all come back for the visit of Tooting & Mitcham United on New Years Day. Getting more bums on seats- or feet on terraces- is a preoccupation for all clubs in our league, and although Leatherhead are 10% up on last season the contrast between the thousand supporters they took to Wycombe Wanderers and the average of 367 is plain to see.

Media man Alfie Gates, speaking before the match, was- as always- filled with enthusiasm, yet summed up the frustrations of all at the club. His efforts have been immense- the numbers following on social media, for example, are three times what they were when he took on the role at the start of the season- but he’s fighting a difficult battle. “Trying to get the local media to take notice is really difficult. We’re making some inroads with BBC Surrey, for example, but they focus on Woking and Aldershot (the latter rather inexplicably given they are in Hampshire). We are perhaps the second biggest club in Surrey but we don’t get the coverage that should come with that.” Asked about the difficulties in getting more people into the stadium, he was similarly forthright. “It’s an easy journey into London to watch top level clubs. Our ground is tucked away out of sight, so we aren’t easily visible. But people turn up when we get a big game, as the cup has shown, and they might come back towards the end of the season if we’ve something to play for.”

It’s certainly true that big games attract big crowds, but it’s rather disconcerting nonetheless that in a town of 12000 people the Tanners generally get less than 3% of them through the gate. In televised matches against Billericay Town and Wycombe Wanderers this season they’ve already shown to their entire potential audience that they have the capacity to play exceptional attacking football, and yet a few days after they packed out the away end at Adams Park only 291 turned up to watch them take on Thurrock. It’s difficult to comprehend that. This is a club that works hard to build its audience. It’s a club with fabulous, friendly volunteers- and two young salesmen in the programme booth who could give Del Boy a run for his money (only with a much, much better product- the programme is superb)- a club with a great bar, a proper old Non League stadium and, when they click, an entertaining side who can compete with the best; and yet they struggle to attract the audience their efforts deserve.

Still, if the people of Leatherhead are only enthused by the possibility of glory then there’s every likelihood that they’ll have something to get excited about in the relatively near future. There’s enough about Sammy Moore’s side to suggest that, if they can finally find that elusive consistency, more success- perhaps sustained success- might not be too far away.

It certainly looks to be closer then it has been for many a year.

1-0 to Tanners!

1-0 to Tanners!

Leatherhead Pete!

Leigh- centre- and the K's management team

Where next?

Town, Urchins and Rooks celebrate being Christmas Number One! Billericay, AFC Hornchurch and Lewes remain at the summit for Christmas, in a day when one hundred and thirty goals were scored across our three divisions.
Bostik to Bostik transfers for week ending 23rd December 2017 The last set of internal transfers before Christmas see 24 players having a festive first team meal in a new clubhouse.

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