Thursday, 30 June, 2005: Angels await FA Cup and Trophy draws
Tomorrow at midday the FA will announce the draws for the Preliminary and 1st Qualifying Rounds of the FA Cup, and the 1st and 2nd Qualifying Rounds of the FA Trophy.
The FA Cup draw has thrown up some interesting ties in recent years, the visit of rivals Maidstone United and Dover Athletic in the last 15 years in the earliest rounds have brought crowds of 1000+ to Longmead and of course it gives us the chance to dream of reaching that First Round Proper stage for the first time since 1972.
Meanwhile in the FA Trophy we will be looking to match, or better, our feat of reaching the last 64 last season when Walton & Hersham knocked Tonbridge out on penalties.
Look out for 'FA Cup' related features on Angels Online in the build-up to the Preliminary Round match on August 27. The other scheduled dates, and prize money are as follows:
FA Cup Preliminary Round:27 August... £1,000 FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round:10 September... £2,250 FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round:15 October... £1,300 FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying Round:12 November... £2,000
Wednesday, 29 June, 2005: New Angels Online Forum launches
The much-promised brand-new forum has now launched. Registered members of the previous forum need not re-register, simply use your old username and password to log in. If you do have any problems at first, click the forgot your password link, and if you are still having problems then simply e-mail us at support@tonbridgeafc.co.uk.
Integrated with the forum is the interactive gallery where action photos will be posted during the season. Here you can upload, view and rate images.
Another page to be added to the website this week is the Isthmian One Club Directory and thanks go to Mike Ide for allowing the use of this page which originally appeared on the now defunct un-official site.
Saturday, 25 June, 2005: Another friendly announced
Ryman Premier Division side Margate will visit Longmead Stadium on Tuesday, 19 July. Kick off is at 7.45pm.
Tuesday, 21 June, 2005: Angels drawn at home in Bryco Cup
Just a short update to confirm the Bryco (League) Cup draw, this season we start at home to Clapton who finished bottom of Division Two last season with 15 points. Date to be announced.
Saturday, 18 June, 2005: Angels secure signings of John and Aris
The following statement has appeared on the club's official website:
"The club has agreed terms with goalkeeper Jerome John. JJ as he is known played last year in Fisher's Southern League Division One East Title-winning team. Previous clubs include Kingstonian where he won a Ryman League title and the FA Trophy at Wembley. He was named Player of the year at Premier Division club Billericay Town in the 2001-02 season and has also played for Dulwich Hamlet and Altrincham. He is currently a youth coach at West Ham. Tony is delighted with his new signing who has a good pedigree and will prove a big favourite with the fans."
The second signing is Steve Aris. Also joining from Fisher after six years with the club, Aris is a name that has persistently been linked with the Angels, most notably during the Walker era. A top quality centre-back who will provide stiff competition for places with Cramp and Farley.
Saturday, 18 June, 2005: Mystery of Fisher friendly continues
With the latest word from the Club being that there is no friendly on July 19th as previously expected, interesting developments on the Fisher forum where as recently as yesterday it was insisted that the London club will be playing the Angels at Longmead on that date.
With again no prestigious friendly being lined up for the Angels, and not even a game being planned against old rivals Maidstone United, the Fisher game would undoubtedly have been one of the more outstanding fixtures over the pre-season period.
Several ex-Angels feature in the Fisher squad and the chance for Dolby's lads to get one over on the likes of Hamid Barr, Ray Powell etc would surely throw up a sizeable crowd by comparison to a visit by the likes of Aveley. Angels Online awaits confirmation of this apparent "non-game" with keen interest!
Meanwhile a third friendly for the Reserves has been announced with Crockenhill the visitors to Longmead on Tuesday 2nd August.
Thursday, 16 June, 2005: Reserves announce two friendlies
Two more friendlies to let you know about featuring the new-look Reserve team. The lads will visit Westerham on Saturday 6th August, and entertain Haywards Heath at Longmead on Saturday 13th August. Other friendlies for the Reserves are to be arranged soon.
Meanwhile pre-season training will kick off on Monday 4th July and for the first time in several years, the First Team, Reserves and Under 18s are to train together during the pre-season. The squads will train on three nights over the first week before the opening friendly at Longmead on Tuesday 12th July against Sutton United.
A full report on Tuesday night's Supporters/ASO meeting with Nick Sullivan and photographs of the new-look Longmead Lounge will appear on Angels Online tomorrow.
Tuesday, 14 June, 2005: Diamond Jubilee Book Project
I have announced details of the plan to produce a book to celebrate the club's 60th anniversary in 2008. Work is already under way to complete the all-time statistics of the club and details of how you can help are on the Jubilee Book Project page here. More details on the project to follow soon.
Saturday, 11 June, 2005: UPDATE - Player confirmed as Sodje
As promised it has been confirmed that Steve Sodje has signed for Hampton & Richmond Borough. It appears that Sodje had asked the club for a contract and had been offered terms which he promised to think over, having told manager Tony Dolby he doesn't like travelling from his North Kent home he has now signed a one-year deal with a club much further away.
In similar fashion to the departure of Jamie Turner it appears that Dolby himself was still unaware of the situation as of this morning. The departure means that Sodje follows Turner and Richard Brady in leaving the club this summer.
Right: Sodje after signing with the Beavers (Photo courtesy of Chris Hurst).
Saturday, 11 June, 2005: Third player to leave the Angels?
I have been reliably informed that a third player is to be confirmed as having left the club this week after signing a one-year contract with a Premier Division side. The player concerned is a fan favourite and his loss will be a blow to the pre-season plans of Tony Dolby. More news on this in due course.
Meanwhile updates to Angels Online will continue over the course of the day, particularly to the Archive.
Friday, 10 June, 2005: More friendlies to be announced
Angels Online understands that three more friendlies have been arranged for the Angels, which should complete the line-up of preparation matches for the 2005/06 season.
Two trips to sides newly promoted to the Ryman Premier Division have been arranged, a visit to Bromley is planned for Tuesday, 9 August and East Thurrock United will host the Angels on Saturday, 13 August. Added to these games is a second match arranged for Saturday, 23 July. With the Angels already making the short trip to Greatness Park to play Sevenoaks Town, a second match that day will see Tonbridge visit Hythe Town. It is expected that a mixture of first-team and reserve players will play in both matches. Confirmation of these games is expected early next week.
Monday, 6 June, 2005: Richard Brady leaves; Crampy signs contract
Angels striker Richard Brady has become the second player to leave Longmead this summer. Brady signed for the Angels in February from Eastbourne Borough with an impressive track record, but a return of only two goals from eleven starts from the club's highest paid player represented perhaps Brady's lowest goal ratio in his career. Although we saw some fine glimpses of Richard's talent, notably his goal in the 3-2 win over Dover Athletic, it was a shame we did not see the best from the player and I'm sure we all wish him well in the future.
Meanwhile Tonbridge have made a significant move by placing young defender Michael Cramp on contract, the 17-year-old enjoyed a successful season with the Club by collecting the Under-18s' "Player's Player of the Year" award and breaking through to the First Team in impressive fashion, immediately ousting the underperforming Nick Humphrey and in just eight games looks to have made the Number 5 shirt his own. Congratulations Mike.
Under-18s award winners in full: Players' Player of the Year:Mike Cramp Manager's Player of the Year:Ian Parkes Top Goalscorer:Craig Fermor Special Awards:Tom Reeves and Matt Crane
The Club is delighted to announce that a deal has been reached, after lengthy negotiations, with Betterview Windows and Conservatories to be the clubs main sponsor for the next two seasons with an option for a third.
Betterview, who are based in Wickford in Essex, are Southend Uniteds main sponsor. They have an office next to the fire station in Tonbridge.
The deal involves cash and substantial work to the ground which has already taken place.
Saturday, 4 June, 2005: "The potential at Tonbridge is enormous."
TONBRIDGE ANGELS are on the up under Nick Sullivan's chairmanship according to their newly appointed reserve team manager, Julian Leigh, writes Stephen McCartney.
In an EXCLUSIVE interview with www.kentishfootball.co.uk, Leigh, who has ended a long association with Sevenoaks Town, is looking forward to working with first team player-boss Tony Dolby and preparing the club's youngsters for first team football in the Ryman League. Leigh, who finished last season as joint first team manager with Gary Davies at Greatness Park, also managed Sevenoaks Town's under 15's side and most of that side will move lock stock and barrel to the Angels - as their under 16 side - with Leigh at the helm. Leigh explained the situation. "Basically as you are aware, there's a new consortium come in and bought Tonbridge Angels and Nick Sullivan, a good friend of mine, whose been helping me with my under 15 side at Sevenoaks Town, has subsequently taken over as chairman. The reason behind it is Tonbridge were using Nick's under 18 players to come into the first team and bypassing the reserve team. I will be running the reserve side to bring the youth through ready for first team football - we want continuity between the first and reserve teams, as it should be."
Leigh will be meeting first team player-manager Dolby within two weeks and Leigh is hoping everyone will be signing from the same hymn sheet.
"What I have heard Tony is a pretty switched on guy and I'm looking to help him. I am hoping Tony will have confidence in me so when first team players need to come back from injury I will do what Tony wants with regards to bringing them back to fitness. I want Tony to have confidence in me to let players play, and we'll work hand in hand to have a strong first team and have young players coming through into that first team."
Leigh, however, is relishing the chance to manage at a club that plays at a higher level and is, in a way, sorry to be leaving his home-town club but admits it's time to move on. The 48-year-old who lives in Kemsing and works in Sevenoaks as an after sales director for Davis Renault, added: "Sevenoaks Town have done extremely well (to get into the Kent League from the Kent County League) but it needs to push on now. "(Former manager) John James has said finance is a massive thing in the Kent League. If you get the players you can do well but they need the budget to get them. They need a rich benefactor but I question the support of the town. Sevenoaks' is much a rugby and cricket town. In the first season in the Kent League we were averaging about 100 but last season it dropped to around 80." But Leigh is pleased he has been given the opportunity by Sullivan to work at a "bigger club". "The potential at Tonbridge is enormous, purely on the support basis alone," he said.
"And to be honest and no disrespect to Sevenoaks, I am involved in a bigger club. I have also taken over the under 16s at Tonbridge, some of my under 15 players at Sevenoaks have moved over and there is basically a strong side and what I am looking to do after Christmas is start to bring in some of the under 16's into the reserves just to get the experience, even if it's just sitting on the bench. They will be training with the reserves and under 18's for them to get more experience and used to adult football. I've got potentially some really good players." And knowing Sullivan the way he does, Leigh is very impressed with his ideas and enthusiasm for the Avavan Longmead Stadium club, taking over from Paul Dainty. "Nick is very professional in his approach and with that and forward thinking it's a very good thing for the club."
On departing Greatness Park, Leigh praised Gary Davies and former manager John James. "I don't envy Gary but I say he was a good coach and organiser. JJ (John James) is a very good man motivator and I thoroughly enjoyed working with both of them but sometimes you have got to move on," added the former Sevenoaks Town goalkeeper who spent 15 years playing for the club, playing reserve team, first team and for the county representative side.
The following statement has appeared on the club's official website:
