Floods are a huge blow to the club, says Hildenborough caretaker boss Andrew McKechnie

HILDENBOROUGH ATHLETIC are searching for a new first team manager after Gary McAuliffe’s departure due to personal issues.




The Tonbridge based outfit have suffered after their ground at The Slade was flooded over the Christmas period.

Hildenborough Athletic are in ninth-place in the Haart of Kent County League Premier Division table with 17 points from 12 games.

But the club have launched an appeal for support from the Kent football family to raise funds for new kit and equipment, which was lost in the floods over the festive period.

“It never rains, it pours, or floods in our case,” said caretaker manager Andrew McKechnie.

“On Christmas Day you could only see about a foot of the top of the posts.  The water as you can imagine has devastated the changing rooms and whole block.

“Because it was Christmas and there were no games for a couple of weeks every single bit of our equipment was in the changing rooms.

“We have not been able to get across there yet but a member from Tonbridge Juniors managed to get across in a dingy and they have said all equipment will be unrecoverable due to the state of the block, meaning every bit of kit will be lost including away kits, everything you can think of that it takes to run three football teams including pitch barriers. Luckily the only bit of kit that was not at the ground was the home kit.

“This is a huge blow to the club down to the expense it is going to take to replace all of the equipment and one the club cannot afford.  With this going on I think it’s time for the club to re-focus and calm down a bit.”

McKechnie and Adam Davies, meanwhile, have taken charge of team affairs on a temporary basis.

McKechnie, 29, was previously in charge of Hildenborough Athletic for six seasons, where he won six league titles and three cups, said: “I’m only doing it to help out just until we get a new manager so hopefully not very long and with Adam Davies injured it makes sense for us to over it.

“My time is now very limited so it will be very much a joint effort between Adam and myself but hopefully a new man can be found very soon.”

Visit Hildenborough Athletic’s website: www.hildenboroughafc.co.uk