SOME LUCKY FOLKES WILL CAPTURE BIG PRIZE HARRY
NEIL CUGLEY admits even he’s surprised by the rapid rise of Folkestone Invicta starlet Harry Smith – with the legendary Non-League boss backing the big striker’s Football League credentials.
The 21-year-old, who was close to a move to the Scottish Premier League with Aberdeen earlier in the summer, is on trial with League One side Millwall.
On Friday night he played in their friendly against Greenwich Borough, while Folkestone’s Kent neighbours Gillingham are also interested.
Towering Smith – he stands at 6ft 6ins – only joined the Ryman Division One South champions before Christmas from Sittingbourne and went on to score 13 goals.
And long-serving Invicta boss Cugley says he has the tools to succeed higher up the ladder.
“There’s not many 6ft 6ins centre forwards who score goals so I think at some point he will go – we’ll just have to see how it all progresses,” Cugley told The NLP.
“My two assistants Roland Edge and Jason Lillis both played a lot of League football and they both think he’s got something as well, so it’s not just my opinion.
“Ironically his strength isn’t in the air. He’s got a very good touch and he scores some really good goals. Whether it’s Millwall or not – that’s their choice – I think someone will take him.
“We tried to get him before he was on contract at Sittingbourne. He asked to leave, so we paid a small fee for him.We took a gamble on him at the time because we wanted another forward in the club.
“I can’t deny how quickly it’s all happened hasn’t surprised me.You don’t think, ‘I’ll get him in and sell him a few months later’. If it was that easy there would be quite a few rich Non-League clubs! So it has shocked me but it’s all credit to him.
“He’s only young and I don’t think people realise what a difference going fulltime can make. It’s a big thing so he’s still got lots of developing to do.”
Folkestone are back at Step 3 after a five-year absence following last season’s title waltz – and Cugley is looking forward to the challenge.
“We felt we’d maybe been in the Ryman South a bit too long and it would have been difficult to get going again for a sixth year,” Cugley said.
“We said before we wouldn’t change it much and to be fair to the players they won the league by 24 points so they deserve a go.
“Michael Everitt packed up because he didn’t want to do the travelling and we’ve brought in Sam Beale, so it’s one for one.
“The whole club is looking forward to it.The ground looks nice, the pitch is good, and we’re raring to go.”