Folkestone chairman slams Saunders' exit

FOLKESTONE INVICTA chairman Gordon Wallis criticised Mark Saunders, 36, on his decision to quit the club this week to move to their Ryman Premier League rivals Maidstone United.

The former Gillingham star turned down persuasions by Invicta manager Neil Cugley earlier in the week to remain at Cheriton Road until the end of the season and subsequently played his last game for the club in their 2-1 defeat at Harrow Borough on 23^rd February.

“I’ve always considered Mark to be the utmost of professional players and recently he has had criticisms of the club that we weren’t professional enough and from what I understood he wanted to walk away from the club,” Mr Wallis told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk.

“Initially, I was under the impression that he didn’t want to play football and he wanted a break from it and to move back down to the west country.

“It then came as a surprise to me that the club receives a seven day approach from Maidstone United for his services and I didn’t take too kindly to that at all.

“I didn’t find this very professional and thought it was hypocritical when he had the same criticisms of the club.

“I don’t think it’s a blow to lose Mark because I thought we were better shaped last Saturday against Chelmsford and Mark didn’t play and in the previous game at Harrow when Mark did play we were very poor. I don’t think this is a coincidence at all.”

Mr Wallis revealed that a board meeting was held following last Saturday’s home goal-less draw against Chelmsford City.

He had actually been trying to organise a meeting for several weeks but in the absence of various directors at different times, co-ordinating the meeting at an earlier stage had proved difficult.

“Everyone has been away except me recently,” he said. “We wanted to touch base with one or two things and Mark Saunders was one of the issues people wanted to be brought up to speed with and also the wage budget.

“We will be sticking with what we have for the time being but the directors did have to put some of their money in to assist financially with the football club and we will see this season out and asses whether we need to dramatically change things going into next season.

“It’s very difficult at this stage of the season to get players in that are going to better what you have but if Neil (Cugley) felt that he wanted to bring in a player that would improve the squad then the board would support him financially.

“I don’t think getting loan players in is the way to go because they can disorganise the team where they do well for a month and then leave. This is something that we will review next season because it has happened too much in the last few seasons.”

Manager Cugley, who takes his side to Carshalton Athletic on Saturday, knows his side must win if they are to climb out of the fourth relegation place.

Invicta have collected 37 points this season and have eleven more games to play. But as 12th placed Tonbridge Angels have proved if you string three wins together it’s easy to kill off any relegation fears.

Cugley gave his take on Saunders’ departure earlier in the week.

“I had a chat with him on Monday, tried to persuade him to stay but he felt it was the right time to move on,” Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk.

“The club wish him all the best and it is disappointing to lose him but there’s not a lot I can do about if it he feels he wants to leave.

“There are various issues that he felt very strongly about at the club and he didn’t feel he was enjoying being at the club as much as he did.

“Also he wants to join up with Alan Walker at Maidstone who does some work for the FA and Mark wants to get into that side of things and further his career in management.”

Saunders joined Folkestone at the beginning of January 2006 after a long injury lay off at Gillingham where he left in the summer of 2005.

He made his Folkestone debut in the 2-0 defeat at Billericay Town and scored his first goal in the very next match, a 2-1 home defeat to Hampton & Richmond Borough.

In his time at Invicta he has gone on to notch up 83 appearances, scoring 13 goals.

Having also taking up the coaching role at the club as well as being an influential figure at the heart of a young side, the departure is a huge loss to the club as they bid to avoid the drop.

But a door has opened for defender Kevin Watson.

“I approached Kevin Watson about taking more of a role in coaching and training the lads and he was delighted to do so and already leads the warm ups and is a senior figure at the club that the other players will look up to,” said Cugley.

“I am continuing to look for another midfielder and that was even before Mark left. I’m talking to one player at the moment and will see how it goes but nothing will happen before Saturday.

“The midfielders I have now have to show me that they can perform week in week out to keep their place in the side and get us out of the relegation zone.

Cugley also confirmed that no players would be leaving the club in the immediate future and forward Damian Abel has ended his loan spell at Ramsgate and has returned to the club and will be in the squad for Saturday’s trip to Carshalton Athletic.

Article courtesy of www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk