Whitstable Town boss Jamie Coyle has been talking to KSN ahead of arguably the most thrilling finale to a season the Oystermen have ever experienced. 

After securing a place in the Isuzu FA Vase Final under the Wembley Arch on Sunday, Tuesday saw Coyle’s side win a vital League game at Punjab United in their pursuit of a Play Off berth, before finishing their week at the Gallagher as they bid to win the DFDS Kent Senior Trophy against Larkfield & New Hythe. 

We caught up with Coyle in midweek and naturally enough, the Vase Semi Final win was where we started. “It’s a huge achievement for everyone at the Football Club,” he admitted.

“It was a real emotional weekend – we stayed over on Saturday night as a group, that really helps the togetherness and the whole preparation was brilliant, and I think we got our rewards on Sunday for preparing right and due diligence. In the end the boys delivered and got what they deserved.” 

“You must give Hartpury credit on Sunday as they completely tactically changed the way they had played in the first leg at The Belmont.”

“They did a lot of analysis as they are full time at the University so have a lot of time to do the analysis work on the training pitch. They played some really good football on a pitch that had been used for a rugby game on Saturday, and we knew it would be difficult in terms of playing on it.”

“It was one of those games, I thought for a young group we managed it very well in terms of emotions and taking the sting out of it.” 

Coyle then admitted that getting to Wembley is right up there in a career that does include winning the Seniors World Cup with England!

“It’s right up there,” he confessed. “It was an emotional day for me and to see the amount of commitment, the togetherness, the work ethic the team that we have assembled in this whole competition has put together is a real proud moment for me.”

“They have put their bodies on the line – the group dynamics is what gets you things in football and trophies at the end of the season and I feel that we have built a team that has so much resilience that they are getting their rewards now.” 

“A lot of the boys are playing their first season in non-League football and they’re going to Wembley – I don’t think it’s really sunk into them yet as it’s taken me 25 years to get there!” 

Less than 50 hours later, Coyle and his side were back chasing a Play Off place in SCEFL with a game in Gravesend against a Punjab side also eyeing the post-season.

Whitstable showed no Vase hangover and won 4-1 to leave themselves just two points outside the top five with games in hand.

“After Sunday we had to put it to bed and park the Wembley thing as we have other jobs to do! We made five changes on Tuesday and the players coming in there was no team-talk needed or need to motivate them because ultimate we have the Senior Trophy Final this weekend and Wembley at the end of the season.” said Coyle.

“All the time we must rotate the team with the fixture back-log that we have, it’s an opportunity for someone to go out and play their way into Wembley.”

“To go to Punjab away from home on a really tough pitch against a side flying in the League and win 4-1 was amazing! And without being disrespectful to them, we could have doubled the score – we hit the woodwork four times and had a penalty turned down!” 

“To have to deal with the emotions of the weekend and then change the team and rotate things around and come away with that sort of win is real testament to the players.” 

And so now all Whitstable eyes are focused on Maidstone as they try to win the Senior Trophy for the first time in more than twenty years.

“We know that we must deliver a top performance at the weekend against a side that are going to be at it and playing in their first Final. I’ve known Mickey Phillips (the Larkfield boss) well from Youth football and we are going to have to be at our very best to start bringing some silverware back to our Football Club!” 

“We know Larkfield are a tough side – we played them a few weeks ago and unfortunately both teams ended up talking about the officiating – they are well organised and beat us at home early in the season.”

“But we have come a long way since then in terms of the squad – it’s going to be a tough game, we’ve a number of players again who are Cup-tied and can’t feature and so we’ll have to change things around again as we have in our last nineteen games that we are unbeaten in!” 

“I know that we have two big and important League games next week, we cannot look past Sunday – we have to look at delivering a top performance and hopefully get a successful result Sunday night!” 

“It’s going to be another experience for our young squad – we keep talking about developing their minds and Sunday is another opportunity. They have played in front of three thousand people now and they have come through all the Vase tests and have been brilliant throughout the season.”