Swifts Boss Tilson hopes the Black and White hordes will come out in force!

Steve Tilson has called on Heybridge Swift fans to pack out Scraley Road for Saturday’s crunch FA Trophy tie against Hungerford Town.
The Pitching In Isthmian League North outfit are one of two Step 4 sides left in the competition and are bidding to reach the fourth round for the first time in 23 years.

Swifts stunned Hereford to reach this stage and will have to overcome another team from two divisions above to progress.
But after 474 fans rolled through the Scraley Road turnstiles to witness that second round upset, Tilson is calling on supporters to bring the noise once more on the last weekend without Premier League fixtures.

“Things are tight at the moment for everyone and it is difficult for people to spend their hard-earned cash and come out again,” admitted Tilson.

“Times are hard but we’re going well so hopefully we’ll get a decent crowd. We nearly had 500 against Hereford so hopefully we can get in and around that sort of figure again.

“It would be great to have a really good atmosphere and I’m sure the fans will get behind us.

“To get to the third round is a great achievement from the players so hopefully the fans will reward them by turning up and giving us a big push to hopefully get a result.”

The Swifts are flying high in their second campaign under former Southend midfielder Tilson, who was not surprised by his side’s convincing 3-0 win over Hereford, which earned the club the Pitching In Isthmian North Performance of the Month award.

Tilson admitted his main focus is the Swifts’ promotion push this season but the tantalising prospect of drawing Southend, a club he spent 17 years representing as either manager or player, is high on the 56-year-old’s Christmas wish list.

“If we managed to get through to the next round, I’d love to get Southend away, probably from a selfish point of view,” said Tilson.

“But for the club as well it’d be a good crowd and a bit of money for the club. Let’s be honest, at our level if we’re realistic, we’re not going to win the Trophy.

“So if we as a club can earn some money out of it that would be fantastic. But it’s a tough game against Hungerford and we won’t look any further than that.”

Image- as always- from Alan Edmonds.

Ladbrokes, with the support of its owner Entain, has launched a multi-million-pound investment programme, Pitching In, designed to support and promote grassroots sports. For more details head here.

By Alec McQuarrie, Sportsbeat

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