Rob Marriott stands down as Deal Town chairman to join Margate board: The club will certainly retain a very big place in my heart

DEAL TOWN have appointed a new chairman after Rob Marriott has stepped down after three years at the helm to join the board of Margate.

 

Deal have appointed Dave Chmura as their new chairman during a board meeting on Wednesday night.

Marriott has decided to accept an offer from Alistair Bayliss, Margate’s chairman since November 2016.

Mr Marriott told www.dealtownfc.co.uk: “It was a decision that wasn’t easy by any means because of the affection I have for this football club, but Alistair is my best friend and he has asked me to come and help him try to restore the fortunes of Margate.

“I have had a fantastic three years as chairman of Deal Town and I think the current board can be proud of what we have achieved during that time in terms of stabilising the club, projects like the new clubhouse and hospitality suite and our growing relationship with Deal Town Rangers.

“I think Dave is the obvious and ideal person to take over from me.  He’s very well known in local football circles, a good businessman and passionate about Deal Town and I can only see the club going from strength to strength with him as chairman.

“The club will certainly retain a very big place in my heart and I will still be coming along to the Charles Ground whenever I can.”

Mr Chmura’s appointment as chairman completes a 48-year association with the club, which started back in 1969 when Deal were playing in the Greater London League.

He recalled: “I scored on my debut against East Ham United and in the team were players like Ray and Tippy Prior and Alan Hughes.”

A few years later he became club vice-chairman under the then chairman Sid Cox, but Mr Chmura’s growing administrative involvement with the Deal Sunday League, where he went on to hold the position of fixture secretary for 35 years, meant he decided to end his ties with Deal Town until re-joining the board just under two years’ ago as stadium and development director.

The 65-year-old added: “Over the years I was approached quite a few times to re-join the Deal Town committee and it was only my loyalty to the Deal Sunday League that stopped me from doing so.

“I have been very happy in my role as stadium and development director and certainly wasn’t chasing after the role of chairman, especially as Rob will be a hard act to follow after all that he’s done for the club over the past three years.”

“But I will be looking to continue stabilising the club, to encourage some new faces to get involved off the field and to eventually get a new 3G training pitch at the ground on the opposite side to the clubhouse. That has got to be main aim now because it will provide a training pitch not only for our players but also for the youngsters of Deal Town Rangers, so watch this space!”.

Mr Marriott who is operations manager at Bayliss Executive Travel leaves to join the board at Vanarama National League strugglers Margate, joining Bayliss (chairman) and Ricky Owen (director) at Hartsdown Park.

Deal Town are in 13th place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, having collected 25 points from as many games and are 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

Margate, meanwhile, are rooted to their league table and are 11 points adrift of safety and destined to be relegated to the Ryman Premier League at the end of the season.

Visit Deal Town’s website: www.dealtownfc.co.uk