Ashford United have so much to look forward to… With the Club’s takeover due to be finalised in the coming days, they have a new manager in charge, and Danny Kedwell cannot wait to get started.  

We caught up with the new Nuts and Bolts boss and he told us, “It is exciting for me, and I cannot wait to get started. I had a stint (as manager) at Cray Wanderers that didn’t go too well, which I knew would be a tough ask to build a whole new squad in three weeks as I had no players at all when I was appointed – it was always going to be a big task that would take time, but it got cut short!” 

“I learned a lot from that and going into Chatham with Kevin (Hake) as Assistant Manager and having success was great… but my main aim has always been to be a manager and in the last three years, I have learned a lot on what to do and what not to do.”

“The easy part is the coaching job, it is all the other stuff that goes with it to be the manager of a Club that really has been the eye opener for me. I have had great experience with Kevin and now is the time that I feel like I am ready!” 

“There have been a few jobs in the last couple of years that I have spoken to, but I just wasn’t ready… but now I feel that I am!” 

Kedwell has played an integral role in Chatham’s rise to the Isthmian Premier Division, and he admitted, “When you are winning it does whet your appetite for more and I have learned a lot.”

“It is completely different from playing and winning things – it is a different buzz! The hours that you must put in behind the scenes, which players do not see, which I have really enjoyed in seeing different sides of the game, different styles that you are playing against… It has given me the appetite to get back into management; it has given me the buzz!” 

“Kev was brilliant when I told him I was leaving. He has always been good to me – he was not just my manager and Chairman; he is a good friend as well as we have known each other for years.”

“He always knew my ambition to be a manager and he’s told me that – he admitted that he knew that I always wanted to be a manager and told me to go and do it with his blessing.” 

Kedwell then confirmed that his appointment was made with the joint blessing of outgoing Ashford owner Don Crosbie and the new – so far unconfirmed – owner.

“It was both sides who agreed and whatever happens, I will be in charge next season… I’ve plans for a back-room staff that I can’t confirm at the minute, and player wise the Club has some good players – we played them with Chatham in the semi-final of the Velocity Cup – and I thought that some of them were decent on the night, so they will definitely be invited back.”

“I do not want to repeat my experience with Cray where we had no squad at all – to have players there who have had a season at Homelands is something that you can build around, but we will be bringing in some players to build round those we want to keep from last year.” 

“I want it to be Kedwell the manager, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s that for Kedwell the player,” he laughed adding, “I’m sure there will be some point in the season where I have to come out somewhere… Get a few injuries and you never know – at least I’m there and know that I can still do it at this level!” 

Picture supplied by Ashford United Football Club.