Canvey soccer boss Jeff King today issued a clarion call for fans to get out and support his side in huge numbers for what he describes as "the most important match in the club's history".

Gulls host fellow promotion-chasers Wealdstone in the Ryman League First Division knowing that victory will carry them up to the Premier Division for the first time ever.

It's celebration time all round at Park Lane at the moment with confirmation from the League that they will get the A ground grading necessary to play at the top level.

Then yesterday, King himself was named the Division One manager of the month, sponsored by bookmaker William Hill, for the second time in succession.

He'll receive the first of those awards before Saturday's kick-off and says: "I'm delighted to have won it again, but regard it as very much part of a team effort for the fantastic amount of work everyone has done down here both on and off the pitch."

It's a far different story at Canvey now than from two years ago when, in their first season in Division One, they were relegated straight back down again.

They bounced back as Second Division champions last year and, it would appear, only a complete disaster can stop them going up as champions again.

King, however, refuses to think that far - rightly concentrating on the one win his side need from their last seven matches to make sure of going up.

He said: "We've been involved in some great footballing occasions during the 90s . . . big FA Vase matches and our FA Cup tie with Brighton . . . but to go up to the Premier Division for the first time would be really special.

"People are always saying that getting out of Division One is one of the hardest things in our League. It took Aldershot a number of years and look how long Billericay were trying before they reclaimed their place.

"That's why I rate tomorrow's match so highly - to my mind it's our biggest game ever. I'd love us to get really big vocal support and I'm sure we'll need it. Ourselves apart, Weald-stone are very much the form side and haven't been beaten for about 10 games.

"They've come from a long way back and are favourites to join ourselves and Hitchin in going up."

A big boost for Gulls tomorrow is that top scorer Steve Tilson, scorer of 28 goals this term, is back from a three-match ban and battling ex Billericay midfielder Mark Barry is fit after nearly two months out with a back injury.

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