Former Gillingham striker Danny Kedwell is keeping it real at Hollands & Blair - by driving the team minibus.

Kedwell’s had a great career in football, firing AFC Wimbledon to the Football League and Gills to the League 2 title.

He’s probably the best-known player in Southern Counties East but the 37-year-old is just one of the lads at Blair.

Boss Simon Halsey said: “There’s no ego with Dan.

“When he joined us, he drove the minibus to the FA Cup game at Colliers Wood with all the lads on board, and he’s done it since.

“That proves exactly what he’s all about and it’s great to see. Fair play to him, it’s brilliant.

“He’s a normal person, there’s no airs or graces, he’s just doing what he does and trying to help the lads out.”

Kedwell is proving a big help on the pitch for a Blair side who are nine games unbeaten.

He’s playing a different role at Star Meadow and it’s bringing out the best in his team-mates.

“We’ve not got him in to score goals,” said Halsey.

“He’s playing a deeper role that’s more about getting him on the ball and trying to open up things for the others to score."

Blair are sixth after goals from Tom Loynes and Matt Gething in a 2-1 home win against K Sports last Saturday.

Unbeaten since the opening day, they have the best defensive record in the league, with only six goals conceded, and two games in hand to go fifth.

“Any other season we’d be nearly top of the league with the start we’ve had,” said Halsey.

“There’s some very good teams above us but we’re happy to be sitting on 21 points from 10 games.

“We’ve conceded one goal at home - that was on Saturday, unfortunately - and you can’t argue with that.

“We’ve done it without training, too, where we’ve been playing Saturday-Tuesday.

“Before this week we had one session a month ago on a Wednesday night but that’s been it.

“We’re lucky the players from last year know what we do and how we play but the ones who’ve come in have had to pick it up as they go."

Hollands & Blair are off to league leaders Chatham this Saturday for a Medway derby that pits the tightest defence against the most potent attack.

Chats are scoring for fun - 54 goals in 10 games - so it should be quite a tussle.

Halsey said: “I really don’t know how it’s going to go.

“The good thing is they can concede goals.

“Whether we’ve got enough about us to concentrate for 90 minutes, I don’t know.

“Tunbridge Wells have gone there and won.

“We want to win but if we come away from there unbeaten I’ll be happy.

“We can’t just sit in and defend, we need to try and play our game and do what we’re good at.

“On Saturday we need every player at 8/10 to get something from the game.

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