All change at Longmead

Tonbridge Angels

It’s the end of an era as Tonbridge prepare to play their final home game on grass over the long weekend. Angels make the long trip to Bath on Saturday knowing a point will make them mathematically safe in National South.

That’s followed by the visit of Eastbourne Borough on Bank Holiday Monday, the last match at Longmead before contractors start work on the new 3G pitch.

Tonbridge have made plenty of memories over 42 years of football at Longmead, since moving there from the old Angel ground. But times move on and 3G is the way forward.

Assistant manager Barry Moore said: “You ask any player past the age of 27 and you’d love a perfect grass pitch but nowadays in modern football, and especially non-league, you need the income a 3G pitch provides.

“On top of that, it brings the community together, the youth teams play their games there and the kids are more involved.

“You then get them coming along to watch first-team games and it brings more supporters in.

“One of the most important things is you know on a Tuesday and a Thursday you’re definitely going to be training.

“Without your own facility, all it takes is a downpour and you could be calling training off at six o’clock.

“It also attracts players because the lads in their early 20s have been brought up on it.

“I’d say a high percentage of Conference South players have been at pro clubs as kids and trained on that surface.

“This is a new chapter for the club and a lot of people have worked so hard behind the scenes to make it happen.” Tonbridge, beaten 1-0 at home by Ebbsfleet last weekend, have won only five of their 19 league games at Longmead this season.

But crowds are up and they’ve been treated to FA Trophy wins over National League outfits Torquay and King’s Lynn, which are among Moore’s favourite Longmead memories in his eight years as Steve McKimm’s No.2. “I suppose you’d have to look at the play-off final against Merstham as my favourite game on the grass, but beating Torquay and King’s Lynn in the Trophy would be up there.

“Torquay are a big club so that was special to beat them.”