There’s one characteristic you simply cannot teach. One asset every coach desires. A trait they search so extensively to find. A prized commodity possessed by only a small selection of fortunate individuals.

Leadership. The fulcrum around which all good sides are built. And Alfie Osborne has it.

The former-Dunstable Town captain switched the Blues for the white and black of Kings at the backend of the 2024/25 season, spearheading a late push for survival that ultimately ended in vain.

Even with the team struggling to find results and stuck at the bottom end of the Division One Central standings, Osborne sensed a positive vibe from the club and believes he was offered “an opportunity to join another fantastic football club” that he “couldn’t turn down”.

Among his reasons for moving to WD4, he cites “good people in and around” the club and a chance “to work with a management team and playing staff of real quality”.

The management team, of course, consists of manager, Steve Heath, and his assistant, Joe Sweeney, who oversaw an upturn in fortunes after they took over in the closing stages of last season.

Osborne recalls the period, where they notably beat Northwood 3-2 in their final game to keep their hopes alive, as “very much a case of do all we can to survive”.

He admits, however, that their “very strong” finish was “too little, too late”, but feels the team can harness some of their winning momentum as they approach the new campaign.

“The mood is a positive one and we are all looking forward to hopefully taking the club back to Step Four.”

What, then, are the key ingredients to performing at a high standard and reaching the heights the squad are so clearly determined to reach?
“I think consistency and hard work is going to be what we pride ourselves on, you don’t get anywhere, especially in this league, without that and they are the basics that you have to have in place before anything else.”
“We’ve got a real good mix of honest, hardworking and talented lads, all good people first of all and all people that will push others around them to be successful and that is priceless.”
The opening day clash with Wormley kickstarts a heavily loaded fixture list, and Kings will have played 16 games by the middle of October, possibly more if they progress in either the FA Cup or Vase.

Such a schedule is undoubtedly demanding, both physically and mentally, but Osborne believes the squad have what it takes to cope with the strenuous demands placed upon them.
“It is jam packed but we’re used to that, the majority of us have been involved in non league football for a long time now and the games come round quickly!”
“We’ve got a great backroom team who invest their time into making sure we are prepared and recover well, but ultimately that second part is also up to us and what we are doing away from the club to manage our bodies.”

He acknowledges the difficult nature of the Spartan South Midlands Premier League, packed with strength from top to bottom, but insists it’s a test that he looks forward to.
“For me we’ve got some real tough games, but that’s what you want. You want to challenge yourself against the best and that’s exactly what we’ll do! December looks very tasty!”

That month features the reverse fixture with Wormley, with Kings set to travel there on the 6th before clashes with Tring Athletic, Arlesey Town and Harpenden Town.

Positivity is a key theme throughout Alfie’s comments, clearly enthused by the “exciting project” he sees before him.

He hopes the fans “can watch us be front footed, positive and ultimately exciting”, and the good news for the Langley faithful is that when Osborne speaks, his teammates tend to listen.

This interview is taken from Saturday's Match Programme AVAILABLE HERE