BIRD BACK IN THE MIX WITH TOP TANNERS!
HAYDEN Bird hopes his play-off experience can help steer Leatherhead’s young guns back up to Step 3.
Bird, the former Bromley, Carshalton Athletic, Merstham and Kingstonian boss, has turned around Tanners fortunes since taking charge in October 2022 with the club languishing near the bottom of Isthmian League South Central.
The Tanners finished just outside the play-off places in Bird’s first full season in charge but thanks largely to a productive summer of recruitment, they are on course to make the top five this time around.
“I arrived in October last season after the club had a difficult start to the season,” Bird said. “We were sat three points off the bottom and second bottom in the table – there was a big rebuilding job that needed to be done.
“The team did well and marginally missed the playoffs last season, and this season having brought in a few of the players that have worked with me before we’re looking to go one step better.
“Chertsey are the favourites for the title at the moment, I’ve been hugely impressed with them, we played them last Tueshaving and lost 2-1 in the last minute, it was two really good teams on the pitch, Mark (Harper) has done a great job.
“I think it’s important to have it right on and off the pitch, they’re set up to do really well in the Isthmian Premier Division, the title it’s theirs to lose at the moment.
“It’s not a foregone conclusion that we’ll finish in the playoffs as there are six teams in this league that are
exceptional seasons, if you discount Chertsey five teams are fighting for four slots.
Barrier
“I’ve got play-off experience as manager of Carshalton Athletic and Merstham and hopefully I can pass this on to younger players and help them for those big games.”
Leatherhead were relday
egated to Step 4 by virtue of a points-per-game ratio in 2002 and Bird is desperate to get the club back up to where he believes they should be.
“We want to back at Step 3 as quickly as possible,” he added. “The club is continuing to evolve, we’re averaging crowds of 400 now, which is more indicative of an Isthmian Premier Division club.
“The place is moving forward and the team is improving but none of that matters unless you win on the football pitch.
“We’re confident but not complacent. If you look at Marlow, Raynes Park Vale, Southall, Westfield, there are four other clubs that all have a points ratio of twoper-game or better which is unheard of, it shows how competitive the league is and how exceptional, there’s a fight on our hands.
“I’ve been really impressed with the youth section – it is by far the best training facility I’ve worked with in Non-League football. It’s got a dressing room, a clubhouse and 4G pitches under lights – it feels like we’re training in a stadium.
“Everyone involved with the junior section deserve credit, in recent years the ties between junior and senior section haven’t been as close, but we’re trying to break down the barrier.”