Ashford look forward to welcoming Slough Town to Short Lane tomorrow for their final friendly before next Saturday’s opening league match at home to Kingstonian.

These days Slough are members of the Southern League and, rather surprisingly, have been transferred into the Midland Division of that League for the coming season.  Having changed leagues and divisions frequently in recent times, they must have played a higher number of clubs than just about any other club in the country.

Slough, of course, can reasonably be regarded as “sleeping giants” since losing their own ground and their Conference place some seasons ago but the news has come that a new ground of their own may at last be on the horizon which will surely galvanise everyone at the Club.

Last season, our visitors finished in 16^th place in their division, under the management of the experienced Steve Bateman but the last time Ashford faced Slough was in April 2007, at Short Lane, in the Ryman League when it finished one apiece, Ashford’s goal coming from a Scott Todd penalty.  After leaving us for Croydon Athletic in March incidentally, Scott has now signed for Chessington & Hook for the coming season.

Ashford are also sending a team tomorrow to play against Middlesex County League side Southall, another previous “giant” of the amateur game, the venue being Northolt Rugby Club.  Both matches kick off at 3.00 p.m.