BILLY’S BOYS ARE ON THE UP AND UP
IN their first season back in Step 4 for almost 100 years, you’d have thought Beckenham Town would be content for stability, but that’s not how they roll down in Kent!
The Reds have ensconced themsleves in the thick of the Isthmian South East title race this season having also enjoyed their own history making FA Cup adventure.
It’s all made for a pretty exhilarating ride for assistant manager Billy Walton, and he has ambitions to take things to a whole new level.
“Some coaches like to keep expectations in check but I’m of the view that you only live once so why not aim for the very top, I want another promotion,” he told The NLP.
“It’s definitely taken us aback. We thought we’d likely be in the bottom half, spending our time trying to get our feet under the table but it’s turned out to be far more exciting than that.
“I keep telling the lads to believe in themselves, we
have proven our worth and we can certainly win this division.”
A string of stunning successes in the league since the campaign’s kick-off saw Beckenham go into the weekend just three points adrift of leaders Ramsgate, as the season edges towards its business end.
At the same time, Walton and first-team manager Jason Huntley led the Reds to a shock victory at National League South high-fliers Dartford in the FA Cup in September to earn a memorable fourth qualifying round clash at top-flight Dagenham & Redbridge.
It has all formed part of Beckenham’s win at all costs approach, which has kept fans on the edge of their seats at Eden Park Avenue.
“The feeling around the dressing room at the moment is palpable, you can instantly feel that it’s a special time for the club,” Walton added.
“We are a team that always wants to attack and have a go and I think that has caught a few other teams by surprise.
“I’m a glass half full kind of guy and we will always tell the players to go out and give it a real go and attack from the first whistle. We are all in football to win games, it’s as simple as that, so what’s the point in sitting back and defending to play for a draw.
“We’ve been brave with the way that we’ve approached each game, that strategy could have backfired, but we’ve been rewarded for it.
“I don’t care how many goals we concede, I want to win matches with scores like 8-7 and give the fans moments to treasure – it’s a plan that’s working so far.”