I want to take the club forward but we need the fans support, says Whitstable chairman Gary Johnson

WHITSTABLE TOWN chairman Gary Johnson has issued a rallying cry for fans’ to turn out in force for their derby game against Faversham Town on Tuesday night.



A crowd of 161 witnessed Justin Luchford’s side stun Ryman Premier League club Harrow Borough in The FA Carlsberg Trophy at the weekend, courtesy of Damian Abel’s first goal of the season and a clincher from Jake Beecroft just before the break, which earned the Belmont outfit a place in tomorrow’s Second Qualifying Round draw.

And Mr Johnson hopes their Cup giant-killing will entice more fans through the turnstiles on Tuesday night.

“I’ve been in the chair now for four months and the time’s flown by,” said Mr Johnson.

“There’s been lots of matters to try to resolve, try to sort out and kick the club on to move it forward.

“The appointment of Justin and his management team are starting to bare its fruits and I think the team have played some really attractive football.

“I think there’s been a lot of positives and a lot of good stuff the club’s been doing on the football front.”

Reflecting on their victory against higher-league opposition, Mr Johnson was a happy man after his club pulled off a giant-killing over Harrow Borough.

The chairman hailed it as a “fantastic result!” 

He said: “I was really pleased for all of the team but I think a few worthy mentions.  Damian Abel scored his first goal of the current campaign and not before time – I was really pleased with him and I hope it gives him a lift.

“Nicky Shaw in goal saved the penalty when we were 2-0 up. He was awarded the man-of-the-match award but I wouldn’t want people to think he was awarded man-of-the-match because he was kept busy.  When he was called into action he made some great saves and he made a superb save on the penalty.”

Whitstable Town have scooped £2,250 following their win yesterday, which is much-welcomed, especially after the club failed to pick up any FA Cup prize money after going out at the first hurdle to Kent League side VCD Athletic.

“I smile in two or three ways because before the season started people were saying we were the Manchester City of the Ryman League.  Well that certainly hasn’t been the case and never has been,” insisted Mr Johnson.

“We’ll cut our cloth accordingly. The only way in running a football club, there’s no point anyone putting loads of money in when it’s one way.

“You can only run a football club like any other business.  You’ve got to run it sensibly and manage your expectations against your income.  If you do it right then maybe you can work it all round.

“We do have to cut our cloth accordingly.  We haven’t got loads of money contrary to popular belief.  We just have to work hard with what we have got and Justin has attracted a good quality of players who want to work for him and the club.”

Mr Johnson urged all disgruntled stay-away fans to give the club another chance when local-bragging rights are at stake against Ray Turner’s Faversham Town.

He said: “Last year our average gates were 191 and that was 4% up on the previous season. This year I think we’ve been struggling with gates.  We had 391 against Maidstone at home but pre-season wasn’t well supported if I’m honest but we need to do things to get people in the game.

“Yesterday being a FA game you have to share the expenses and profits if there are any.

“It is tough and we need to get some good wins under our belt and play some attractive football, like I think we have been playing away from home when people perhaps haven’t been seeing.

“I think the team have played some confident and fluent football and Justin and Richard Langley have got them playing really well and believing in themselves.  We’ve got that confidence, we’re perhaps just not putting the ball in the back of the net.

“We’re pretty well organised and I think there’s a lot of good stuff that we’re doing on the football field that can hopefully help us attract more people through the gate.

“At the end of the day, it’s people coming through the gates that makes a difference to the club. It’s only the people coming through the club that can take the club forward and make it work.

“I want to take the club forward. I don’t want to take the club back to the Kent League days. It’s onwards and upwards and that change has to come about. We have to build on all the things we’ve done before, all the good work the club’s done before.

Whitstable Town go into their seventh League game of the season sitting in 12^th place in the Ryman League Division One South table, with seven points.

When asked how the season has gone so far, Mr Johnson replied, “It’s very early and I think it’s a very difficult question in truth because it is very early.

“Are we where we want to be? Well, I guess we’re disappointed given that we’ve played some really attractive football and not got the rub of the green so I think there’s a lot more we can do and I urge people to come along, watch us and watch how Justin has got us playing.

“Come to The Belmont!  Watch the confidence the boys are building and the camaraderie and the togetherness they have but anything is possible but it takes hard work on everybody’s part on and off the field.

“Off the field we’ve got an equal amount to do to get the right people doing the right things to make the club work and tick over.

“Like most clubs you get stuck for volunteers and that’s what we want to build on as well. We need volunteers to help us steward and help us run the club on match days.

“We’ve got some works to do at the ground.  We need to fence parts of the ground and the roof needs doing on the changing room, which costs a lot of money.

Luchford guided Faversham Town to the Kent League title back in 2010 and with so many former Faversham Town names now at Whitstable Town, this can only add extra spice to Tuesday night’s showdown.

Mr Johnson said: “We’ve got a whole host of Kent derbies coming up, starting with the game against Faversham on Tuesday evening.

“That will be a tough game, won’t it with Ray and Justin facing each other again and some player exchanges from last year.

“I think Faversham have done really well in re-building. They’ve got some good people at Faversham, Ray and Clive (Walker) and all the good people of their field.

“There’s a little bit of rivalry among both clubs. It’s a Kent derby, one of seven or eight that we’ll have (at home) this season so everybody wants the bragging rights of a Kent derby don’t they?

“But there’s no easy games in this League and Faversham will be no exception.  They’re a good well run club and I just hope we can get something on the night.”

Faversham were knocked out of The FA Carlsberg Trophy by Leatherhead at the weekend and arrive at The Belmont sitting in the bottom three with five points from as many games.

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk

Whitstable Town  v  Faversham Town
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 2^nd October 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
at The Belmont, Belmont Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1QP