Chesham boss Leese ready for Arsenal showcase

Aug 3 2012 By Greg Burns

Andy Leese

ANDY Leese hopes Chesham's glamour friendly with an Arsenal XI will bring some new regulars to The Meadow.

The Generals boss grew up with Gunners legend and coach Steve Bould back in their native Stoke-on-Trent and a friendly between the two sides has been on the cards for a few years.

It will finally happen on Saturday and a large crowd is expected to cheer on Leese's Southern Premier League side and it is a game he hopes will be an excellent showcase for his club.

“Myself and Steve have known each other for many years and we have talked about this game for a while,” he said. “It is hard to arrange because so many teams want to play Arsenal so we were a bit shocked when we got the call and said we were top of the list.

“I am really grateful to them because it will be a fantastic occasion for the club and we are very fortunate. They are a brilliant club and their footballing ethos is clear. It will be a team of youngsters but they will play a certain style of football and it will be a challenge for us.

“It will be a learning curve for our lads because when we lose the ball it may be a while before we see it again. But we are in good shape and it is the perfect game for this stage of pre-season.

“It is a game for the whole community. If we bring in a few more regulars to the club who can see it is a good place to watch their football on a Saturday then we will have done our job.”