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Exciting young Chatham Town prospect Sam Sene-Richardson has been tipped to earn a contract with a professional club by manager-chairman Kevin Hake.
The teenage forward has become the latest player to come through their youth-team ranks, netting three Isthmian Premier goals for Chats this season.
Sene-Richardson could follow Harvey Broad, at Championship club Coventry, and fellow defender Ike Orji in going to full-time outfits after cutting their teeth at Chatham - albeit 21-year-old Orji is with Cray Wanderers following his summer release by Gillingham.
Hake said: “Sammy has been great for us.
“He’s integral to what we do. He’s a credit to the Academy system that he has come through.
“Hopefully in the not-too-distant-future, he will join the likes of the Ike Orjis and Harvey Broads of this world and get a professional contract.
“He’s more than good enough to do that.”
Chats captain makes team-of-the-week
Sene-Richardson scored alongside fellow substitute Rowan Liburd in Chats’ 2-0 home league win over Horsham on Tuesday.
Sene-Richardson got his first taste of men’s football at Southern Counties East Division 1 Staplehurst, prior to linking up with Chats’ senior squad.
“We have got more than 100 in the Academy now and we’re into our fourth year,” said Hake.
“We should, hopefully, start to see a bit more of a conveyor belt of them coming through. I think there’s 17 out on loan.
“They’re getting great experience of men’s football, which is good.”
While last term’s Isthmian Premier play-off finalists Chatham have struggled to hit the heights they did in the 2023/24 campaign, they appear to have found some form.
They extended their unbeaten streak to eight matches in all competitions with last weekend’s 1-1 derby draw against pacesetters Dover as captain Jack Evans scored their goal.
“We’re suffering a bit with injuries,” said Hake, whose side finished second behind runaway champions Hornchurch last season. “But every club does so we don’t want to whinge and moan about it.
“We have done for most of the season, really, but everyone has to go through those sorts of periods. Sometimes, you just have to wipe your nose and get on with it.
“You can see in this league that anyone can beat anyone and I think the points tally will be a low points total - both to win the league and to get into the play-offs.
“We have got a great set of lads and I think we’ll get better as the season progresses. So to put this run together when the season is in its infancy, we’re only just into November, that’s good.
“Everyone can get a little bit carried away with where they are, but we’ll just quietly go about our business and see where we end up.
“It’s certainly going to be an exciting season!”
The Dover game was watched by another bumper crowd of 1,903.
“They’re a loyal bunch,” noted Hake. “They were singing for us all game, as they do home and away.
“It’s something we’re conscious of and we’re building on.
“We try to play a good brand of football to excite them, and long may that continue.”
Former Sheppey player-boss Jack Midson - a one-time Football League forward - has offered his support to Chats.
Hake revealed: “He runs a girls’ youth team. It’s great to have someone like Jack around.
“He has great experience - both as a player and as a manager - so it’s always great to see him here, passing on his knowledge.”
Chatham visit National League South Slough - who knocked Hake’s troops out of the FA Cup in late September, winning 3-0 at the Bauvill Stadium - in the FA Trophy second round this weekend before Tuesday’s league trip to Wingate & Finchley.
The winners of the Trophy tie will pocket £3,750 as winger John Ufuah returns to his old stomping ground.-
