Kimble twins Alan and Garry face each other in Essex derby
Last updated on .From the section Football
Ex-Wimbledon defender Alan Kimble will face twin brother Garry in his first game in charge of Maldon & Tiptree.
Garry manages Ryman Premier side Witham, who will take on Ryman North side Maldon in the Robert Dyas League Cup on Tuesday night.
The identical twins, 48, started their playing careers with Charlton and had spells at Cambridge United.
"There will be rivalry. Hopefully the players won't be confused over who's shouting," Garry told BBC Essex.
"No disrespect to Al, but I've got a bigger game at Needham Market in the FA Cup on Saturday."
| Alan on his brother leaving Cambridge for Doncaster in 1987 |
|---|
| "It was the first time we ever got split up. It was hard. We spent every day together."That day they broke us up and as he went out the door at six o'clock on the Monday morning, we started crying."But it was the best thing that ever happened because it made us more grown up." |
Alan added: "It's going to be a family affair. Win, lose or draw we will have a drink after.
"We'll put the bragging rights to rest after the game.
"There's a telepathic thing. When we were growing up I would say something and a second later he would say 'I was just about to say that'."
Alan had the more notable professional career, playing over 300 games for Cambridge before joining then-Premier League side Wimbledon in 1993 and making 265 appearances for the Dons.
He was appointed Maldon boss last week, but was unable to take charge of their 4-1 weekend defeat by Redbridge as he was abroad.
Garry, who was born three minutes before his brother, added: "I try and guide him, because it's taken him quite a while to get back into football.
"Hopefully now I can show him a bit of my experience. If he can do as well as I have in my three years at Witham, he won't do too bad."
Defender Garry also represented the U's and had short spells at Doncaster, Fulham, Gillingham and Peterborough.
His Witham side are 16th in the Ryman Premier, the seventh tier of English football, while Maldon are 21st in the division below.
Alan hopes to draw on his experience of playing for Wimbledon, who were known as the Crazy Gang until their demise in 2004, to pull the Jammers away from the drop zone.
"When I was at Wimbledon we were always labelled he underdog," he said. "We ruffled a few feathers in our time and I hope Maldon can start climbing into the top half."
