FOLKESTONE INVICTA boss Neil Cugley has paid tribute to three young players who helped him through the bad times at Cheriton Road.

Cugley handed new deals to local lads Josh Vincent, Josh Burchell and Liam Dickson this week to keep them at the club for another season and admitted: "They've played a big part in why I carried on the job."

Back in the 2008-09 season Invicta went through the mill financially and the club's future looked in doubt.

But Cugley saw the promise in a group of talented lads in the under-18s, he chose to stay and his faith has been rewarded.

Vincent, Burchell and Dickson, who are all in their early 20s, have started nearly 500 games between them.

They join Stuart King, Darren Marsden, Jack Delo and James Everitt in penning contracts for next year. Darren Smith has also agreed to stay.

Cugley said: "When all our money went we were in real trouble but it's thanks to these guys that the club is where it is now. They were chucked in at the deep end and they've done nothing but impress.

"They came through the youth team and they hardly had any reserve team football. They were just put in the first team because they had a bit of promise.

"It's a massive jump and at first it was difficult for them.

"But their attitude was – and always has been – first class and we're reaping the rewards now.

"We didn't have much luck after all the money went but these lads came in and we still finished mid-table.

"Then they helped us to promotion in 2009/10 but it probably came a year too soon as we struggled last year.

"But it was always a five-year plan and we're in year four now and things are looking good.

"Next year is year five and you can ask have we succeeded? I think we near enough have."

The trio were brought through the youth set-up my Mick Dix and Cugs has paid tribute to his now-assistant manager for his hard work.

He said: "Micky doesn't get the credit he should sometimes but his work with the lads has been fantastic.

"The year we ran out of money our youth team was really strong so we were lucky.

"If we didn't have that there wouldn't have been many reasons for me to carry on, or for the club to carry on really.

"What would you have gone with? We had no players and these were the ones to come in.

"Dicko is a couple of years older than the other two and he's probably the most limited naturally - but he's worked so hard and he deserves a lot of credit for that.

"JV has shown his talent and we thought he might move into midfield where he played for the youth team.

"But he's settled into the right-back position and he is very much in the mould of a modern player in that regard.

"He's got a good engine, he bombs forward and he's got better as time's gone on.

"Burchy has probably been the most pleasing this year and he's kicked on as we thought he would.

"We always could see his ability in training and now he's brought it into games.

"I'll call them the good, the bad and the ugly – you decide which one's which!"

Invicta travel to Faversham on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) after being frustrated again by the snow at the weekend.

Their game with Maidstone was postponed but the troops were in the gym doing a spinning class.

Cugs said: "The niggly injuries should have gone away and we're in good shape now."