Faversham Town given green light for promotion

Thursday 01st April 2010

FAVERSHAM TOWN have today received official confirmation that their Salters Lane ground has passed the necessarily ground grading criteria to clinch promotion into the Ryman League, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Lilywhites are destined to secure the Bulmers Cider Kent League title as they are 12 points clear of their nearest challengers, and need three more wins to rubber stamp promotion.

The club has come a long way in a very short space of time.

The 1990s was a struggle for the club and this turned into a rapid decline in the new millennium and reached crisis point in 2003 when the club were suspended by the Kent County Football Association for non-payment of fines, which resulted in the club being ejected from the Kent League with over a month of the season still remaining.

With the Salters Lane ground effectively abandoned the vandals and drug-dealers moved in and systematically destroyed what was left.

Meanwhile, the club trustees, led by local businessman Ray Leader and ably assisted by the late Ken Hammond were fighting a desperate battle to heal the rift between the then owners over ownership of the club and the Salters Lane ground.

In a separate development local man Roger Bennett enlisted the help of former player and reserve team manager Past Miles in forming the Faversham Town Independent Supporters Club.

This club quickly gained a membership of over 300, and was probably the only supporters club in the country with no team to support.

Eventually the dispute over the ground was settled and control was regained by the trustees and the interim committee.

The recovery was slow but with the backing of many local businesses and a small but willing band of volunteers the Salters Lane ground was returned to a fit place to play football.

The Kent County Football Association gave the club a special dispensation to retain its senior status and it was with a feeling of great pride and relief that the club played the first game in the Kent County League at home to Milton Athletic on 13 August 2005 and promotion was gained at the first attempt.

In a statement, club secretary Alan Trent, paid tribute to everybody that have worked tirelessly to ensure Salters Lane will be hosting Ryman League football next season.

“On behalf of the club, I would like to thank the volunteers and local businesses who have helped us pass this grading,” said Mr Trent.

“There are too many to mention individually and some wish to remain anonymous anyway, but you know who you are.

“I was always confident that our great band of workers would see us though. A big thank you to everyone concerned.”

Faversham welcome third-placed Beckenham Town on Good Friday, kicking off at 1pm.

Visit Faversham Town’s website: www.favershamtownfc.co.uk

Faversham Town v Beckenham Town

Bulmers Cider Kent League

Good Friday 2 April 2010

Kick Off 1:00pm

At Salters Lane, Faversham, Kent ME13 7QD