It’s Play Off week for both Ramsgate and Sittingbourne in the Isthmian South East and who better to assess their chances than the man who led Cray Valley PM to the League title… KSN has been talking to Steve McKimm. 

We started by congratulating the Valley boss on their title that was finally secured at Horndean on Saturday. He said, “It has been hard fought, and we have been pushed all the way, even though at the end of the day, it says we won the League by six points.”

“It was tough going, but we had the belief that we could do it. After we lost our perfect away record in the draw at Ramsgate, everyone was disappointed, but then we had to get it across to the players that seven points from the last three games would get us over the line.”

“They listened and we got nine, going one extra as they have done all season!” 

Looking ahead to Ramsgate’s home tie with Chichester City and Sittingbourne against Three Bridges, the Valley boss admitted, “I would not want to be part of these Play Offs as you have four exceptionally good teams in there – all of them have had good form during the season.”

“You can always say that one team will be the favourite, or one will be the outsiders, but looking at the four of them, in any given day, which a Play Off game is with nerves, distractions, and decisions, on any given day, anyone can beat anyone.”

“I am thankful and glad that we did all the hard work to get over the line in the thirty-eight games and not put ourselves in the situation.” 

“Crowds work in mysterious ways as the bigger the crowd can work for you if you are doing well and equally against you if you are doing not.”

“People who have not played in front of bigger crowds could see a few nerves or anxiousness and see mistakes happen.”

“Whoever has the right mentality on the night and makes the less mistakes will get through; that is in both the semis and the Final. That’s what it comes down to!” 

McKimm who led Tonbridge Angels through the “Super Play Off Final” when they won promotion to the National League from the Isthmian League went on, “You’ve got to play with your head and not your heart, knowing that it’s an important game; you’ve got to understand that your head rules your heart as normally it’s the other way round, but it shouldn’t be in football and Play Off games, as I believe that if you play the game with your head, you will find spaces, you will find chances, you can eradicate mistakes.”

“But if you play with your heart and it is a tight game, you can go in for clumsy challenges, get yourself booked or sent off!” 

“I wish all four teams in it the very, very best of luck – every team we’ve played this season have been very, very good in terms of talking and helping during the season; genuine nice people… there’s not one team or management team that I can say think that they are bigger and better that I have come across.”

“The four teams involved have great management teams and good players – they all must have done something right to get where they are and have this opportunity to get promoted and I can only wish them the best…” 

“I can’t say that there is a favourite – it’s a level playing field regardless of squads, regardless of crowds, it’s eleven versus eleven and what’s got to happen is that the management team, and this is where it really comes into it, have to keep the calmness of the players to a minimum, whilst letting them enjoy it to the best that they can with a winning mentality.”

“All four managers have that as they have got to where they are doing that, and this time of the season is a big part for them to play.” 

“I really don’t know who will be joining us, it really is too close to call.”