Folkestone Invicta to pay off their debts three months early

This will be Invicta’s first home Boxing Day game for three years following a somewhat controversial change last season which saw Neil Cugley’s side and their faithful followers having to make the short trip down to Reachfields Stadium for the big Christmas clash for the second year in a row.

The club is hoping everyone will turn up and chairman Jim Pellatt says a bumper four-figure crowd at Cheriton Road will mean that Invicta can pay off the final part of its five-year Creditors Agreement (CVA), three months early.

Mr Pellatt told www.folkestoneinvictafc.co.uk: “Not just that, but we’d like also to clear what our only current debts, so that the club can declare itself completely debt-free by the turn of the year.

“We have a ground grading already for this level, but once the CVA is paid up, we will be looking to prepare for promotion over the next couple of seasons and will be able to give Neil far better support on the playing side.

“We want to prepare now and to achieve a ground grading for Ryman Premier, we need to re-lay the walkways and areas surrounding the pitch, and complete some other minor works.”

In anticipation the Football Club has applied to the Football Association, with the support of local MP, Damian Collins, for a grant of a maximum of 50 per cent of the estimated cost of carrying the much-needed work.

The chairman added: “Our share of the cost will be around £6,500 and with pledges of around £2,000 towards our 50 per cent already received, we look forward to completing the work in the new year."

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvictafc.co.uk