DENLY’S READY TO HIT ‘EM FOR SIX IN CANNONS’ NEXT ASSAULT
SAM Denly is planning to hit the opposition for six in Bostik South next season. The older brother of Kent and England cricketer Joe, he almost pulled off the miracle of guiding the Cannons into the play-offs last season after being appointed in January.
Hythe were 10 points adrift when Denly succeeded Clive Cook, but a staggering run of results during the run-in almost swung things their way.
The Kent side took 39 of a possible 48 points under Denly’s stewardship and were only denied by a stoppage-time Corinthian-Casuals equaliser on the final day of the season.
Casuals went on to reach the play-off final and Hythe are determined to at least emulate that in 2018-19.
“We’re looking to compete and we feel we should be up there,” said Denly. “A lot of people are talking about us winning leagues. A lot of it is about the quality we’ve got and how we finished last season.
“It’s a compliment and the boys have got to be able to take that. We dealt with pressure for three months when I came in last year.
“They’ve got broad enough shoulders and I certainly know the management team and I have. We want that pressure, we want to be competing. I want to be managing a club that's got ambition and players to match that."
Denly certainly has a squad capable of going one step further next term.
Prolific striker Zak Ansah signed a new deal this week while midfielder Chris Kinnear, who was recently playing for his dad’s Dover side in the National League, is also staying on.
The acquisition of ex-Millwall trickster Jack Sammoutis and imposing keeper George Kamurasi from local rivals Ashford are further proof Hythe and Denly really do
mean business this term.
Sport runs in the Denly blood so it’s no surprise to hear Sam so fired up.
Younger brother Joe was on the books of Charlton Athletic as a kid before both turned their focus to cricket in Kent’s youth set-up.
Sam captained the under-15s but was soon joined in the XI by 13-year-old Joe, who was simply too good for his own age group.
They both reached the 2nd XI but while Joe went all the way to the top, Sam’s focus was switching from the pavilion to the dugout.
He said: “My cricket’s really taken a back seat in the last couple of years because of football.
“Since I’ve gone into management, I’ve consciously made a decision not to play cricket because you have to give it your full focus, 100% of the time.
“Even in the close season I’m on the phone speaking to players and making sure I’m doing all I can to maximise my management ability. “I love cricket but football is my main passion. “I watch Joe and he’s been down to Hythe quite a few times. It will be the same next season. “We’re a close family and we’re all engrossed in sport so we try to support each other as and when we can.”