Folkestone close to unveiling new board members

“But it was a really positive meeting; we talked about the football, the finance and the commercial aspects of the football club and everything moved forward another step towards setting up a new Board”.

The meeting saw four new Directors step forward to combine their talents to push the Seasiders forward and ultimately to progress further up the football pyramid. 

Mr Dix said: “We’ve got one of the people who knows a lot regarding how to help businesses commercially and he’s going to commit more time to starting up the Share Issue again because to be frank that hasn’t worked out since it started and also the Lottery needs revamping again to get more people interested in it and we need more people through the gate too.  

“One of the people is willing to produce a new presentation to the Council to persuade them to become more football orientated and get them more on our side.  

“The other two directors want to take care of the football side of things with Neil (Cugley) and improve fortunes on the pitch.

“We want to have the structure at the club and the ability for the club to be able to produce its own income and not rely solely on external sources because we’ve had that problem in the past where a few individuals have thrown say £10,000 at the club and that money is useful but it’s swallowed up immediately by bills and immediate wages and we find we’re back to square one”.

With regard to boosting the strength and depth of the playing squad to enable the Seasiders to continue a year on year improvement in the Ryman Premier League, the chairman gave a reassurance to the Invicta faithful saying, “If Neil wants a specific player and we can all agree that this is the right way forward then I’m sure that some of the new directors will support Neil financially.  

“However, nothing has been set up yet, nothing will change this month as we just want to put everything in place by January 1 for the new directors to come in and make a difference.  

“Realistically they all know that we’ll have to get a couple of players in to compete this season and I’m sure that’ll happen in the New Year but until then we have to sit tight and wait until everything is set up”.

These developments at Board level mark the most profound development in the history of Folkestone Invicta and give a renewed sense of optimism around the Buzzlines Stadium surrounding the potential the football club has to make real progress on and off the field of play. 

“It’s a big, big step forward for the club as a whole and I’ve been at the club for a while so I do have the past to compare this to,” said Mr Dix.  

“I’m telling the fans from my heart it’s really promising and there’s a really good feeling about all of it.  

“Andy (Ingleston) and I have been pushing for this for a while and finally some prospective people have stepped up to the plate and they are people who want the best for our football club.  

“These aren’t just your regular supporters who come every Saturday, these are professional people who are supporters and all of them are different in their own right and that’s what makes it so promising, the fact they each have something different to add”.

When asked if any further meetings were in the pipeline Mr Dix replied, “Well we’re all going to go away now and there’s going to be a meeting with Neil regarding the team next week and then we are still to discuss matters with the fifth person who was not at the meeting last Friday.  

“On the 1st of January the new board will be officially formed, then we will have an official meeting on the 5th of January in preparation for the game the next day and then we can clarify everything in the Shareholders meeting”.

Meanwhile, Invicta welcome League One side Gillingham to the Buzzlines Stadium, Cheriton Road tonight for a friendly.

Former assistant manager is due to take up a position at Priestfield Stadium tomorrow.

Patterson’s last match at the Buzzlines Stadium was on Saturday where Boreham Wood inflicted a 4-1 defeat on the Seasiders. 

Patterson reflected on their heavy defeat.  He said: “Second half in the end they ran out comfortable winners, they deserved to beat us and it could have been a couple more because they had more chances.  

“First half it was a very even match and anyone who saw the game would agree it was an open and entertaining game; both teams were counter attacking in difficult conditions and we were disappointed to go in at half time one down.  

“Second half I’m not sure really what happened; we came out and seemed to take our foot off the gas when we should have been doing the opposite and we gave away poor goals really - the goals were defendable goals and the manager was not happy about it at all”.

Boreham Wood came to Cheriton Road carrying a well founded reputation that they were a side capable of scoring goals, with their ‘goals for’ column one of the best in the Ryman Premier League. 

“They were very good at what they did.  When they got the ball their players made the pitch as big as possible and stood in wide areas and doubled up on us.  

“In a way they were kind of taking a chance employing that tactic because you saw in the first half when we attacked them there were big spaces to exploit and we didn’t quite have that killer pass to create the goals.  

“We agreed that they were probably the best team we’ve seen this season and they attacked decisively and were too much for us”, said Patterson.

Captain Adam Flanagan was suspended for the match, which saw Micheal Everitt take the armband. 

Kevin Watson partnered Liam Friend in the centre of defence which saw loan signing Keith Rowland slot in at left back after the recent departure of Steve Norman to Ryman One side Dartford.  James Everitt was deployed in the right back slot. 

Patterson said: “I think with Adam he’s such an outstanding player and no matter who you play the team will miss him.  He’s a great leader, a very good captain and he organised the defence well and also he gives us a great threat going forward at set pieces – I think he’s the top scorer at the club!  

“But it was an opportunity for Liam and Kevin to play in the middle and by and large they did ok.  There were things they could’ve done better but they hadn’t played together like that before and also Liam is quite young so it’s a learning curve for him”.

Patterson also explained what his new position at Gillingham will entail.  He said: “I’m going to be working with their academy overlooking the whole programme.  There hasn’t really been anyone that has done it full time for a fair few years now and there has been a few people overseeing it part time but the club realised it was too much to do part time so my remit is to go in, assess how it’s all running and ensure it’s ticking over and sort out any problems that might occur.

“I’m not really sure how I got the job because it came up a while back and Mark Saunders spoke to Ronnie Jepson (the Gillingham manager) because they are good friends and my name was mentioned and then the lad that did it for a few months left and it was just word of mouth that Ronnie remembered my name and the club approached me and I accepted.  

“It’s going to exciting going back to Gillingham where I had so many good memories and some of the backroom staff will still be there”.

The move to Gillingham will involve Patterson leaving his present job where he works for Canterbury City Council. 

“I was looking to get back into professional football somehow but it wasn’t the be all and end all if I didn’t get back into it.  

“I’ve enjoyed working with Canterbury Council in the schools and working with the kids and that’s been great but this just seems like a natural progression, it’s the next step up and the chance to work within a professional club and I’m really looking forward to it”. 

Patterson leaves at a time where the club has been buoyed by the addition of four new Directors to the Board, who have come in with a great desire to build on the solid financial position at the Buzzlines Stadium to push the Club on to the next level. 

Patterson said: “With more investment, not just into the team but also the whole set up at Folkestone, it could certainly become a much bigger club.  Obviously things are a little in the air about new people coming in and maybe bringing in a few new players but what I and the rest of the playing staff can understand is there’s going to be big changes and hopefully it’ll not only benefit the club but also the town.  

“The spin offs from a successful football club will bring in more people through the turnstiles and this’ll increase revenue and gives the potential to bring in new players and ultimately that’s what you want; a successful team and that is what Neil and the Club are striving for”.

Patterson has been at Cheriton Road for almost a year and gave his thoughts on working with manager Neil Cugley who is now in his tenth season with the club.

Patterson who starts his new job at Gillingham tomorrow (Thursday) said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Folkestone.  I think you learn off everyone in football at whatever stage you are in your career and Neil’s done things that I’ve never even seen before and the way he conducts himself with the team I’ve certainly learnt off.  

“He blows his top sometimes but all managers do that, it’s part of a bad performance but I’ve really enjoyed working with him and it’s really disappointing I have to leave because I’ve really enjoyed myself.  

“It wasn’t a job with Gillingham I could turn down because I if I did I may look back in the future and regret it. 

“I’ll definitely be staying in touch with all the lads because I got on with all of them really well and I said to them you know where I am if you need a chat about anything.  

“I’ll certainly be trying to get back down to watch some Folkestone games in the future because I’m a football person and I love watching football”.

Visit Folkestone Invicta's website:  www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Folkestone Invicta  v  Gillingham
Friendly
Wednesday 13^th December 2006
Kick Off 7:30pm
At Buzzlines Stadium, Cheriton Road, Folkestone