Kentish Football 
Battle of Crayford opens Kent Invicta League - Tony Reynolds quits Ashford United
Erith & Dartford Town have agreed a groundshare deal at Kent League side VCD Athletic’s Oakwood ground at Old Road in Crayford and the opening Kent Invicta League match will draw a big gate as Friday night football makes a welcome return to the county.
Described as an “innovative move,” Kent Invicta League chairman Denise Richmond said: “We wanted to come up with something special for the first game and we think this certainly fits the bill.
"It should be a cracking start to the Kent Invicta Football League and step 6 football in the county.
"We're grateful to Erith & Dartford Town and Phoenix Sports for taking on the opening game and hopefully there will be a big crowd to help get the league off to a flying start."
Erith & Dartford Town chairman Roy MacNeil said: "We are honoured to be asked to host the first match of the inaugural season of the Kent Invicta Football League against our neighbours Phoenix Sports, on the eve of the competition's commencement.
"We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all those who worked so hard to bring step 6 football to Kent and wish all the founder member clubs and league officials our very best wishes for the coming season."
Phoenix Sports chairman Andrew Mortlock added: "Phoenix Sports Football Club are very proud and excited to be a part of the new step 6 Kent Invicta Football League.
“We are also looking forward to taking part in the inaugural league match against Erith & Dartford Town on Friday August 19."
The match will kick-off at 7.45pm and a special programme will be produced by the home club to mark the occasion.
The fixtures for the opening week:
Friday 19 August 2011
Erith & Dartford Town v Phoenix Sports Saturday 20 August 2011
Crockenhill v Sutton Athletic
Hollands & Blair v Ashford United
Lydd Town v Bridon Ropes
Meridian v Rusthall
Orpington v Bearsted
Seven Acre & Sidcup v Bly Spartans
Woodstock Park v Lewisham Borough
Tuesday 23 August 2011
Bearsted v Lydd Town (6:30pm)
Phoenix Sports v Meridian (6:30pm)
Rusthall v Crockenhill (6:30pm)
Sutton Athletic v Hollands & Blair (6:30pm)
Ashford United v Woodstock Park (7:45pm)
Bly Spartans v Orpington (7:45pm)
Bridon Ropes v Seven Acre & Sidcup (6:30pm)
Lewisham Borough v Erith & Dartford Town (7:45pm)
Ashford United, Bly Spartans, Erith & Dartford Town, Lewisham Borough and Woodstock Park are the only club’s that have floodlights at present.
Meanwhile, favourites Ashford United have announced that Tony Reynolds has stepped down as manager, before the first league game.
Reynolds has brought a host of players into the club and his hard work reaped rewards.
He told players after the game against Whitstable Town on Tuesday night it had been his last match in charge because of work and family commitments meaning he could no longer guarantee the time he wanted to put into the club.
He has handed the reins over to Paul Chambers and Mark Patterson, who will form a management team at the club.Reynolds told www.ashfordunited.co.uk: “Things have changed and I feel I can’t give the time I need to do the job any more. There’s a lot of organisation to do behind the scenes on a day-to-day basis and I do the same in my job as a contracts manager.
“It takes up a lot of time and I’m busy with my nine-year-old daughter Madeleine too. She’s busy bidding to be the next Britney Spears and I’m all over the place with her as well.“I realise now the sacrifices my parents made when I was bidding to be a speedway star when I grew up. The commitment is massive and I’m experiencing that with my daughter as she pursues her dreams.
“It’s in no way a backward step and I hope the supporters appreciate where I’m coming from. I feel that the time is right to hand over to Chambo and Patto and everything is set up for them to go and have a fantastic season.“I will be around as much as I can and I’ll still be searching for players – maybe it’s now time to cast the net a little wider to Folkestone and Maidstone.”
Reynolds was over the moon with his side’s midweek comeback when they overturned Ryman League Division One South side Whitstable Town at Homelands thanks to goals from Tom Scorer, Steve Ward and Gary Lockyer.He said: “I’m proud of what they achieved out there. I’ve gone out and got the players in and people probably doubted whether there was the talent in Ashford.
“From the team that beat Whitstable, 80 percent of them were from Ashford and it shows what the club is all about.“The football club is in a great position. In Tony Betteridge the club have one of the nicest owners you’ll ever meet – I really mean that. Paul Bowden-Brown has been doing a wealth of work behind the scenes and Maidstone’s loss is our gain.
“Things are in great shape and Ashford are in a great position to push on from here. With a couple more additions it could really be a season to remember.” Club owner Mr Betteridge added: “I am very sad at this news. I personally feel a great debt to Tony but I understand and respect his decision.”Meanwhile, the Haart of Kent County League have announced Strood based Gavin Hoare has been appointed as the new general secretary of the League.
A League statement said: “A letter was received by the management committee at its July meeting whereby we have to announce the resignation of general secretary, Geoff Jenkins.
“Many of you will be aware that Geoff has not been in the best of health recently and following on from medical advice he has reached this decision.
“On behalf of all clubs the management committee thank Geoff for his services over the past eleven years and wish him a speedy return to better health.
“The management committee are also pleased to announce that, with immediate effect, Gavin Hoare has been appointed general secretary of the competition and wish him every success in his new post.”
The Kent County League are pleased to announce the appointment of Darren Phillips as the League’s representative team manager.
This follows the recent resignation of Mark Edwards, who has relinquished the position of promotion within his club.
Darren now teams up with Jack Deans, the League’s current representative team coach, in a new era of representative football for the County League.
A statement said: “We thank Mark for his support since he took over as manager in 2004 and wish both Darren and Mark every success in their new appointments.”
Visit the Kent Invicta League website: www.kentinvictaleague.com
Visit the Haart of Kent County League website: www.kentcountyfootballleague.com
Additional reporting Jack Wilson – www.ashfordunited.co.uk
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