VALLEY WELCOME TONY KESSELL
Richard J Green provides the background.
Tony Kessell (Kes) has been working with goalkeeper Chris Lewington on an ad hoc basis since Craig Gibson left the Club to move up North in November.
Moving as we are now into the new season, we’re delighted to announce the appointment of Kes as our Goalkeeping Coach on a more formal basis as he takes his place on the bench alongside Kevin and the rest of the management team.
After leaving school, Kes joined Charlton Athletic on a YTS scheme – where he first met Kevin Watson and Kevin James.
He then moved on to Hastings United where he made over 150 appearances in a three year spell from 1998-2001 in the old Southern League Premier ( equivalent to the modern day Conference South).
Kes then had the first of two spells at Dartford before joining Folkestone Invicta – where he played 200 games in a four year stay, three of which were alongside Watson.
A return to Dartford coincided with the Club moving into their new stadium at Princes Road, where he was in the team that won the Isthmian League North Division before enjoying loan spells at Cray Wanderers and Thamesmead Town.
Throughout this time, he remained good friends with Kevin Watson – he’s Godfather to Kevin’s children – and became the “best of mates” with Tommy Osborne outside of football.
With over 600 non-league games under his belt, Kes became 1st team goalkeeping coach at Dartford, before enjoying a five year hiatus from the game before the call came from Kevin.
“I wasn’t looking to do anything else in the game, but when I got the call it was a bit of a no brainer”, Tony told me, before adding “but I’ve been loving it!”.

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