Farnborough FC

Gary Holloway is one of several midfielders hoping to start against Leamington.
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Football: King's revolution kicks off

By Charlie Oliver
August 13, 2009

REVOLUTIONS tend to usurp the king — but not so the one at Farnborough this summer.

The new man on the Cherrywood Road throne may be a king — Steve King — but he has been the one leading Boro down a revolutionary road.

And, all being well, it will be a bloodless and glorious revolution, culminating in Southern Premier triumph next spring.

That can surely be the only outcome acceptable to Boro chairman Simon Hollis, who sacked previous incumbent Francis Vines for failing to win that promotion last season.

Especially given the extraordinary changes to the playing staff this summer; King has brought in no fewer than 15 new players.

It makes Mark Hughes at Manchester City and Manuel Pellegrini at Real Madrid look positively puritanical compared to King the shopaholic.

And these new arrivals are all the King’s men, too. Hollis may have supplied the funds and the outstanding facilities and ground but the new players, by and large, have worked with King before, or know him well.

Their loyalty is to King, not Farnborough, but, provided the side keeps winning, that should not be a problem. Besides, it is, to an extent, how non-league football works — players follow managers and it is in King’s interests to stay at Farnborough and take them to the Conference, just as he did at Lewes.

Boro want to be back where they belong and King wants his reputation back where it was when he masterminded Lewes' remarkable climb through the leagues.

King has used his connections to cherry-pick to Cherrywood an array of non-league talent that is scarcely believable, given that Farnborough FC are just two years old.

Among the new arrivals are players who, last season, were England C internationals and Conference play-off finalists. It is not so long ago that Dean McDonald was playing as high as the Championship. To attract such players to Cherrywood, King can clearly talk a good game — and, judging by pre-season, his new side can play a good game too.

“We’ve had an unbelievable pre-season,” said King. “The results have been good but it’s the performances I’ve been more interested in. And the boys have all stepped up and played great football.
“You always take a chance when you completely change a team but we are on the same wavelength and have hit the ground running.”

Of course, all the new arrivals have meant a host of exits through the Cherrywood revolving doors.

While some fans will be sad to have seen the likes of Dave Woozley, Leigh Rumbold and Michael Charles cast aside, their sense of sorrow was soon soothed by the return of Sacha Opinel and the arrival of players who should be stellar at this level, like McDonald and Daryl McMahon.

Besides, King has just done what kings do: out with the old and in with the new. Look at King Henry VIII, who cruelly ousted his father’s favourites, Epsom and Dudley.

Talking of Dudley and the West Midlands — and royalty — the first clash in King’s revolution is against a team from Royal Leamington Spa, on Saturday. Gone are the pre-season skirmishes and King knows that his side will be the one everyone else will want to beat. Let battle commence.

“I — and the team — are very aware that the other teams will want to knock us down,” said King. “But that is why I have brought in the players I have. They are all winners. Simon Wormull, Jamie Smith, Gary Holloway, McMahon — what a massive signing he is for us — they will never roll over. If we need to mix it, we will.

“I am over the moon with the squad I have. We have a strong spine and all areas are covered.

“Let’s be honest, none of the players want to be playing at Southern Premier level but they understand what we are doing here at this club and that is why they have come here. And we are all aware that we need to earn the right to get out of this league. Games will be tough.”

Leamington, promoted from Division One, are somewhat of an unknown quantity — but King has done his homework.

“I have watched them in pre-season,” said King. “They look a decent team and I know all about Mark Bellingham up front.” The former Cheltenham Town striker has enjoyed a prolific career in non-league football and last season hit 48 goals.

“Leamington scored a lot of goals last season, in Division One,” added King. “We will treat them with the utmost respect. I know where they are strong — but I have spotted weaknesses, too.”

King says that he may finally have put an end to his spending spree — “I am 99.9% happy with my squad,” he said — but that will change if things do not go according to plan on the pitch.

That is unlikely and Boro fans can look forward to be royally entertained this season, with the goalscoring prowess and attacking flair of McDonald, Bradley Bubb, Kezie Ibe, Jack King, Anthony Thomas, Owen Price and more.

Perhaps King’s biggest problem will be keeping so many big names — for this level — happy. He has brought in seven midfielders alone: Sylvain Dossou, Gary Holloway, King, McMahon, who arrived from Cambridge United last week, Price, Danny Slatter and Simon Wormull. Not that King is worried.

“The players are very aware that, if they don’t step up to the plate, they won’t be in the team,” said King. “None of them want to get injured or suspended as it may be difficult to get back in.”

To that end, central defender Jamie Smith is desperate to play tomorrow, despite still feeling the effects of a broken nose. “Jamie says he is breathing fine but we’ll have to see how he is,” said King.

Steve Robinson, who also joined last week, and Adam Doyle, one of the few survivors from last season, will compete with Smith at the back.

Whoever makes the squad tomorrow against Leamington, one thing is for sure: the Farnborough fans will be expecting a win from King and his courtiers.

That level of expectation is unlikely to fall all season but King’s strong, exciting and experienced squad will not be phased by the pressure.

While such an array of talent may have eyes on cup runs in the FA Cup and Trophy, the Southern Premier is the key competition this season. Farnborough must win it and, all being well, they will.

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