Ahead of Sunday and the clubs FA Cup match I caught up with joint AFC Croydon manager Lee Roots to find out how things were going ahead of the season opener.

Preparations for this Sunday’s opening game of the season, our FA Cup extra preliminary round tie vs Sutton Athletic has been excellent. A complete re build of the squad begun back in May during the off season, when myself & Kevins player recruitment drive really begun. I have been delighted with the targets we have secured & signed & I am very happy with the players we have retained from last year.

We brought the players back in for pre season training a week earlier than normal, and we penciled 9 pre season friendlies throughout the campaign to give us as much chance as possible to get good good practice, get good solid game minutes into the players, test partnerships and build & form healthy strong playing relationships. We very much look forward to Sundays game & feel we have prepared very well for our opposition.

I originally was approached at the end of last season regarding joining AFC Croydon, but due to some ill health with a good friend & committee member at Holmesdale, it didn’t feel right for me to leave the club & my work at that stage – after what was a fantastic debut season back in the SCEFL Premier & gaining entry back into the FA Cup.

When I was offered the position again this year before the season had ended, & with my personal & strong relationship with Kevin Rayner which was one of the major factors in joining the club, & of course with the exciting news of the new ownership at the club & there now being a real strong ambition & drive to take the club up the leagues, it was an absolute no brainer for me to join the club & I needed no time to deliberate my decision.

Leaving Holmesdale after 5 years was never going to be easy, but I am extremely proud of my work there – gaining promotion back to SCEFL Premier during the national pandemic, gaining entry back into the FA Cup, taking the club to the furthest it has ever been in the FA Vase for 2 years running, and also the culture we installed there over time which certainly was not present when I took over. 300 games later & I leave the club in a better place than I found it. The time to leave was correct for both myself & the club & wish them all nothing but great success ahead. I’m not sure I would get the same well wishes back, but hey that’s football I suppose!!

The welcome I have had from everyone at AFC Croydon has been amazing & has really humbled me. I am very appreciative to be in the great position that I am. I already absolutely adore & love this club, my staff, players & everyone involved at the club & this season will be a very special one for us all.

We have a very tough tie on Sunday vs Sutton Athletic. I have great history in managing against Sutton over the last 6/7 seasons during my time in the SCEFL leagues. They are always well drilled, very talented & have lots of dangers on the field. We have had them watched a couple of times and we have a good understanding of where they are at currently.
No game is easy when it comes to FA Cup football, no matter the round and we know we have a determined opposition to beat, but we feel very confident within our preparation work and we looking forward to the challenge ahead.

I am looking forward to this season in the Combined Counties League Premier South. New grounds & teams for me to face & challenge myself against, but for my co-manager Kevin Rayner this is a league he has extensive knowledge off and between us both, we have 1,000 non-leagues managed games between us. So we feel very assured & confident in what we can achieve this season, and this can only be earned through hard work & consistency from ourselves and the players.

We look forward to kicking off our season on Sunday & we hope to see as many of you there as possible to come & support The Rams !!