DRURY IS PREPARED FOR THE NEXT STEP
ANDY DRURY reckons he’d regret not taking his first job in management at Whitstable Town if he let it pass by – and he says the struggling Oysters must believe they can still beat the drop.
The 38-year-old former Lewes, Stevenage, Luton, Ipswich Town and Ebbsfleet United midfielder has swapped a promotion pursuit at Step 3 for a relegation battle at Step 4.
Drury, whose successful career began at Sittingbourne, has been playing for Isthmian Premier Folkestone Invicta having been assistant to Danny Kedwell at Cray Wanderers for the first part of the season.
Whitstable are bottom of the Isthmian Division One South East and on Monday axed boss Keith McMahon.
And when Drury had the chance to make his first move into management, he felt he had to take it no matter the situation he has inherited.
“Management is something over the last few years I’ve wanted to get involved in,” Drury told The NLP. “Obviously I’d been in with Keds at Cray Wanderers. I was umming and ahhing about retiring in the summer anyway. I know Whitstable are a good club with a decent fanbase so it was an opportunity I couldn’t let pass by. I’d have regretted it if I did.
“I still feel like we’ve got a good enough team to get a few results and get out of it. Obviously we are dependent on other teams but there is still a chance. We’ll give it a good go.”
Drury he admits it was a tough decision to leave Folkestone, who are gunning for promotion under longserving boss Neil Cugley.
“It was hard but I had to weigh it up and look at the long term,” Drury said. “If I retire in the summer and nothing was there I would regret not taking it.
“I enjoyed my time at Folkestone. I got on really well with Cugs and the boys. But I had to do what I’ve had to do really.
“I’ve been preparing for management for a few years. Watching lots of games.
“I learnt a lot as assistant at Cray and I’m learning more now – you get more phone calls when you’re manager than an assistant!”
He’s certainly had a busy first few days in the manager’s office as he tried to bring in some fresh faces ahead of Thursday’s registration deadline.
Drury, who won the Conference South at Lewes as well as a league and FA Trophy double at Stevenage before playing going onto play in the Championship, has registered himself as a player.
Also arriving is the experience of former Dagenham & Redbridge and Boreham Wood defender Scott Doe, along with Jack Hanson from Ashford United and young Margate left-back Vernon Nzinga. Jack Miles has also returned after a spell at Guildford City, while keeper Adam Highsted joins to provide cover.
“We probably need four or five wins to get out of it,” he said. “We’ll give it everything, that’s for sure.
“You see in all leagues teams can go on little runs. You never know in football, it’s a funny old game. You win a couple of games and others around you drop points then suddenly you’re right in the mix.”