Last season Sittingbourne defied the odds and reached the last eight of the Isuzu FA Trophy in an amazing run and now manager Ryan Maxwell wants to repeat that run.
This weekend they start their campaign for this season with arguably one of the ties of the Preliminary Round as they welcome neighbours and fierce rivals, Faversham Town to the Staxson Stadium.
Ryan Maxwell has been reflecting on his sides achievements and joked with KSN this week, “We did quite well last year, didn’t we?”
Maxwell went on, “I am really, really, proud to have been a part of it, so many families there, it was really a special, special moment and something that will always be very dear to for everybody involved, I am sure.”
“It was a heck of a ride, wasn’t it? Memory after memory that will live long certainly for me anyway and no doubt too for anyone who came on the journey with us; it was a real special, special time! I have been involved in football for a long, long time and nothing has been more exceptional than the journey we went on during the Trophy run – it’s in the history books!”
“As a Step Four team beating three Step Three sides, two Step Two sides and arguably the biggest non-league club away from home. It was a phenomenal achievement from everybody involved and it put our club firmly on the map.
“I was getting calls from people who I hadn’t spoken to for a long time in football from “Up North” saying “you manage Sittingbourne – what an unbelievable result!” and that was after we beat Enfield let alone the reaction after we beat Southend which was the pinnacle and probably THE shock of the non-league season – to go to Roots Hall in front of five thousand people and a Step Four side to go and beat a Step One full time professional side, it has to be the biggest shock of the season hasn’t it?”
Maxwell though is only too well aware of what faces his new look squad this weekend; “We start again with a new team and new goals! There are some who are still here but for the majority of our squad now, Trophy Day at Woodstock is brand new and we have got a really, really tough tie – a derby, a big, big derby between us and Faversham – its second versus first in the League I believe so it’s a massive early clash and what a brilliant, brilliant tie to be a part of!
“These are the games that you want to be a part of as a manager and player – we’re at home and I’m really hoping that the fans come out in their numbers, and you will see a cracking game on a real good positive game.”
Faversham have taken off since their promotion back into the Isthmian League, but Maxwell isn’t surprised. “When you come up with momentum, you find it carries into the new season, and fair play to Tommy and Faversham, they have proved that and had a great start,” he told us.
“Tommy has experience at this level, and he had enough tools at his disposal to start well but momentum is the key thing for me – Faversham have stayed together with a couple of additions and so they haven’t really got a bedding in period where it’s all changed.
“They are very much a team who knows each other’s game etc., and that’s on top of the momentum that they bring with them from winning SCEFL.”
“I really hope that our fans come out in force at the weekend. We want it to feel like a derby with the help of the supporters and hopefully Woodstock will be packed, and I would like to think that many people who were on our journey last season will fancy another one starting on Saturday hopefully at Woodstock. The fans are a huge, huge part of what we do and are a massive, massive, massive addition to our arsenal and hopefully we can start another magical.”
Picture supplied by Ian Scammell.