Many of Kent’s non-League great managers have tried to win a trophy at Wembley, and on Sunday Jamie Coyle is the latest to try as he leads his Whitstable Town side out to face AFC Whyteleafe in the Isuzu FA Vase Final. 

Coyle is looking to be only the second Kent boss to lift the trophy, some twenty-five years after the first, and so far, only time, that a Kent side were victorious. 

That of course was the incredible day when Roly Graham’s last gasp stunner won the trophy for Tommy Sampson’s Deal Town against Chippenham Town!

Since both Tunbridge Wells (against Spennymoor Town, who ironically return to Wembley this weekend to face Aldershot Town in the Trophy Final) and Cray Valley (against Chertsey Town) have tried and failed to become Kent’s second winner of the famous old trophy, but on Sunday, it’s Whitstable’s turn, and the manager cannot wait. 

We’d like to thank Coyle for inviting KSN training this week and as we took our seats in the dugout whilst training went on in front of us, the Oystermen’s boss said, “It’s been a strange few weeks what with the back end of the season and so many games to play. We have had to “park” this weekend a bit as we tried to get through in the League.”

“That said, it’s becoming more of a reality every day since we lost to Fisher. We’re training Thursday (at Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium) and then travelling to Wembley on Saturday to have first proper look round in a little bit of a tour, and I’m sure by the time that’s done, reality will really kick in!” 

“In twenty-five years as a player and manager, I’ve never known anything like this. After winning the semi-final, we have had a game practically every forty-eight hours and to go through that and deliver the level of performances that we did, I have never seen anything like it – to lose one game out of twenty-seven in ninety minutes is phenomenal and it’s great for the confidence going into the Final.”

“Momentum is with us even though we were devastated to lose the Fisher game, the boys have been outstanding, and I am so proud of them all! We’ll be going into Sunday’s game with lots of confidence!” 

“Whyteleafe have fantastic resources there and have brilliant players who shouldn’t be anywhere near this level, and it will be tough game.”

“We have the ultimate respect for them, and I am confident in saying that we are going into the game as underdogs. We are confident though; we are in good form and have a great bunch in the dressing room and some fantastic characters that are together and with that you can get some real success in the game.”

“We know that we will have to be at our very best in the game and give a real good account of ourselves to get the result that we all want!” 

“We had to build a complete squad this year – we started with four players last summer. We started slowly, slower than we actually hoped, but if we had started the way that we finished we would have pushed Faversham all the way, I am sure.”

“We would have had over one hundred points and I know that you can’t think that way, but such is the togetherness here we are already starting conversations with the squad over who wants to stay next year and ninety percent of the boys are going to want to be here, which is a great place to be!” 

“The support and backing we are getting from everyone in the town is truly amazing,” Coyle said proudly.

“We went down into town as a management team and there are people who are so excited and it’s so nice to see that it has brought the whole town together and we have to hope that the longevity will last in terms of attracting some more to follow the team next year, not just in the big Cup runs and that’s what we are all hoping for as the club deserves success and with a few more through the gates week in, week out, it will make a massive difference for the club moving forward!” 

“Cup runs do bring people together – just look at what Sittingbourne did in the Trophy – there is a genuine excitement around the place and that’s what you need.”

“Build a fanbase as Sittingbourne have done this year that they are obviously hoping to retain next year, and it has to be the same with us as well.”

“The people who have come through the gates this year have seen a team who have given absolutely everything for each other and the club.”

“And that is all you want as a fan of Non-League or even in the Pro game – you want to see a team who are together, that care about the football club, are giving their all and they have most certainly done that this year, and I am just excited now about Sunday as well as the future and working with the core of this group for next season – with adding one or two others – for next season as we will be in a really strong place come the start of next season.” 

Coyle is still registered as a player and so we had to ask, “Are you finishing you playing career at Wembley on Sunday?

“I will be in the squad,” he admitted grinning, “It will most definitely be the last time that I will be in any squad outside of the Seniors (Coyle heads off to Thailand looking to retain England’s over 40s world title).”

“It will be my final game Sunday and just to be able to support the players and be a part of it for me personally is totally beyond my wildest imagination and dreams in terms of growing up as a kid playing in the park at five or six years old to playing and walking out at our national stadium.”

“I am so thankful that I will get that opportunity to do that on Sunday!” 

“We haven’t achieved anything yet! The Chairman keeps telling me it’s the best season in the club’s history, but for me, we lost in one cup final, we lost in the Play Offs and we’re in the Vase Final and we want to make sure that we actually bring something back with us on Sunday!”