Sam Knowles was in the Fleet Spurs starting XI the last time they reached The Buildbase FA Vase second round qualifying, but with increased responsibility on his shoulders the player-manager is hoping to go one better.
The 30-year-old has been with Spurs since he was 18, and four years ago, took over as player-manager – despite only a week earlier having informed chairman Bryan Sheppard of his intention to move on.
Since then the club, named in tribute to Tottenham Hotspur by a group of ex-soldiers shortly after the Second World War, have been unable to emulate the success of the 2010-11 group that reached this stage of The Vase.
Fleet Spurs v Fairford Town
The Buildbase FA Vase
Second Round Qualifying
3pm, Saturday 24 September 2016
Kennels Lane
Winners receive £800 from prize fund
Click here for fixtures
A home win on Saturday against Fairford Town would take Spurs to the first round proper for the first time and land them £800 – prize money that’s vital to their ambitions of being regulars in the latter stages of the competition.
"Progress in The Vase is always our big target each year," said Knowles.
"In the league we just want to finish high enough that means we can play in The FA Cup. But we want to progress as a club and a run in The Vase would help us to do that.
"We can only lease our ground from the council and we’ve only been able to make developments sporadically over the last seven years.
"We can’t get much funding because of the ground situation and our resources aren’t massive, so any prize money we can accumulate goes a long way."
This weekend there is sure to be goals, with 48 for and against in Spurs’ eight league matches, while Fairford have scored 28 and conceded just three times in eight fixtures.
Fans of the Gloucestershire club wishing to make the journey south are being offered free travel on the club coach.
But striker Knowles hopes they will go home unhappy and his team will have too much firepower.
"We’ve brought in a few new defensive players who are still bedding in, so sometimes they look rock-solid and other times there are mistakes," added Knowles, a former community coach at Reading having attained his level three badges by the age of 19.
"But going forward we are the same as we have been for the last couple of seasons. We are very strong in that department."
Buildbase FA Vase history
Fleet Spurs have been no further than second round qualifying since their maiden Vase campaign in 2010-11. Fairford Town though have reached the second round proper on six occasions, most recently in 2003-04.
Did you know?
Like Spurs, Fairford Town also have a player-manager in Gareth Davies, so there could prove to be a very vacant touchline at Kennels Lane on Saturday.
Fleet Spurs were asked by Tottenham Hotspur to change their badge in 2013, believing it to be too similar. The non-League club set up a competition for their fans to propose new designs for their crest.
One to watch
Player-manager Sam Knowles missed the first six games of the campaign after breaking his nose and wrist in a pre-season friendly. He has featured in Spurs’ last four games though, scoring twice and could hold the key to unlocking a Fairfield defence that has conceded just three times in the league this term.
The Prize
The winners will be among 198 teams to contest the first round proper. They will also land £800 in prize money.
