It will be a “bitter-sweet” return of the club to Canterbury, as we will have gained our heartland but at the cost of our status, says Canterbury City chairman Trevor James as club accepts voluntary relegation from Step Six due to not having a ground

CANTERBURY CITY chairman Trevor James has confirmed the homeless club will be resigning from the Southern Counties East Football League First Division at the end of the season.

Dan Lawrence’s side are sitting in third-place in the table, having picked up 15 wins, eight draws and seven defeats in the tenth-tier of English football but this will be their last at this level for the time being, as the club will drop down a level due to not finding a suitable ground to play on next season.

League rules state ‘where a club finishes in a play-off position but does not meet the criteria for participation in the play-offs, the club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the play-off matches.’

Forest Hill Park (who will change their name to SE Dons next season) lead the way with 59 points from their 29 (of 34) league games.

The four sides in the play-off positions are Faversham Strike Force (who will be leaving Faversham Town and playing at Whitstable Town next season) on 54 points from 28 games.

Canterbury City are in third-place, followed by Croydon (51 points from 29 games) and then Soul Tower Hamlets (51 points from 29 games).

Sheppey Sports are in sixth-place in the table with 50 points from 29 games and they are five points clear of Clapton Community, who have played one game more than George and Ian Batten’s side.

“Our battle to retain our FA National League Step Six level status is over,” said Mr James in a statement, which was posted on the clubs website.

“Despite being in a promotion play-off position, the club has sought voluntary relegation from the Southern Counties East Football League First Division, as we no longer have a suitable ground to play on.

“The club has applied to the Kent County League Premier Division, basing ourselves at The Neighbourhood Resource Centre, Thanington, Canterbury, for next season.

“This is subject to improvement works to the changing rooms being undertaken by Canterbury City Council in time for the new season start.

“The club will complete its League fixtures this season but we will not be permitted to be promoted if we finish first, nor participate in the play-off games if we finish in second to fifth promotion places.

“But we will still aspire to finish in the highest league position possible, as if this nightmare was not happening.

“The club could not convince the University of Kent at Canterbury to form a partnership and develop the facilities (at our cost) for the benefit of students, the community and Canterbury City Football Club in an exciting future.

“Nor could we gain groundshares at the nearby football clubs at Herne Bay, Faversham Town and Whitstable Town.

“In the months leading up to this resignation, there were many site visits and discussions with the Canterbury City Council, both major Universities, Polo Farm, local schools, colleges and academies, even Kent County Cricket Club!

“The “holy grail” for the club has always been to “bring the City back home.”

“Additionally, we engaged with the Canterbury MP, Rosie Duffield, and officials of Canterbury City Council and Kent County Council.  While everyone is sympathetic to our plight, there were no practical proposals put forward for resolving the situation.

“There is still a long-term hope that planning permission will be granted for the sports-hub to be built as part of the Merton Park housing development by Quinn Estates, which forms part of the current 2040 Canterbury City Council Draft Plan.

“Introspectively, one can reason that the club’s position has always been a difficult one, since team success on the field, soon outstripped our infrastructure off it, hence having to use ground-sharing with more established clubs who had the facilities that were needed, which allowed the club to complete at higher levels.

“The superb FA Vase run in 2019, reaching the Semi-Finals and being one step away from Wembley, was an opportunity lost to build on people’s interest and perhaps secure the club’s finances.

“In my short involvement with the club, it is clear that we cannot continue drifting around Kent.  It is not financially sustainable.

“Our current location at Margate, sadly shows that we have little spectator appetite to support a Canterbury City team that plays home games 20 miles away – despite the fact that for three months we have been a successful team and top of the division.

“Equally, it has been hard to gain sponsorship from Canterbury businesses when their market is more local and I am grateful to the few philanthropic companies who have helped us and have bucked that trend.

“It will be a “bitter-sweet” return of the club to Canterbury, as we will have gained our heartland but at the cost of our status.

“We also anticipate that the step down in League status will inevitably mean a significant change in playing and coaching personnel.  Therefore, being competitive in the Kent County League will initially be a challenge and it might be a longer road back to achieve our former status.

“We now hope that this change will spearhead the regeneration of the club’s fortunes and develop a community spirit once more, with local players and supporters.

“We hope to link with other teams in the community, because we recognise that local kids need to aspire to something and the return of the semi-professional club to the City helps to offer that chance to them.

“In this new scenario, the club will need volunteers for all sorts of jobs, both on a regular and occasional basis, ranging from meet and greet, or running the refreshment bar, to kit manager or assistant club secretary, all skills and ages are welcome, as we want to rebuild the club with willing partners.”

Canterbury City have been playing their home games at Hartsdown Park, the home of Isthmian League Premier Division side Margate, who have recently announced a two-year groundshare deal with Kent County League Premier Division side Minster.

Minster are currently in second-place in the table, two points behind leaders New Romney and club’s that finish in the top five are usually granted promotion into the Southern Counties East Football League First Division if they apply for it.

Cuxton 1991, in third-place, have also agreed a two-year deal to hire Maidstone United’s stadium from the start of next season.

However, groundsharing more senior and larger stadiums can have a negative impact on the amateur ranks.  Three of the four clubs that groundshare are within the Kent County League Premier Division relegation zone.

Bexley (at Isthmian League Premier Division side Cray Wanderers), Ramsgate Athletic (at Isthmian League South East Division leaders Ramsgate) and Ide Hill (at National League South side Tonbridge Angels) have struggled on the pitch in the eleventh-tier this season.

However, in the 18 team Southern Counties East Football League First Division this season, only Croydon (although the stadium is owned by the Council but the club have always played at Croydon Sports Arena), Clapton Community, Rochester United, Sporting Club Thamesmead (stadium owned by Peabody and Erith Town also play there in the Isthmian League South East Division), Staplehurst Monarchs are playing at home, while all the other clubs in the division, rent.

Canterbury City have been homeless since losing their Kingsmead Stadium back in 1999 and folded just days before the start of the 2001-02 season before being revived in 2007.

Visit Canterbury City’s website: www.canterburycityfc.co.uk