Kent Invicta League will strengthen the structure of Kent football, says Bearsted secretary

BEARSTED general secretary Roy Benton fears the Kent Invicta League will fail if member clubs aren’t given investment to improve their facilities, writes Stephen McCartney.


The Honey Lane outfit are one of sixteen Kent clubs to be invited into the new Step Six League, but as the League hasn’t found a sponsor, Mr Benton fears the lack of investment will be the stumbling block for clubs to progress into the Kent League.

Bearsted are pulling out all the stops to ensure their ground in Otham meets ground grading criteria to ensure they clinch promotion in to the Kent League if they win the title.

The Kent League have announced that its lost their sponsor after just one year as Safety Net Associates felt member club’s didn’t give them the support.

Mr Benton said: “My own personal thoughts are that there has been a lot of work put in by the respective steering committees to get this new Kent Invicta League up and running.

“With Bearsted Football Club being one of the sixteen clubs invited to be founder members, we have great expectations that the introduction of a Step Six League will not only provide a promotion and relegation between the Step Seven Kent County League and the Kent Invicta League but more importantly promotion and relegation between the Kent Invicta League and Kent League.

“That will, in my view, strengthen the structure of Kent Intermediate and Senior football.”

Mr Benton added: “Providing that adequate funding and assistance from both the Football Association and Kent County Football Association are made available to (existing facilities in Kent are not good) Bearsted Football Club and other found members of the Kent Invicta League as well as to the Intermediate clubs of the Premier Division of the Haart of Kent County Football League to ensure that grounds are brought up to the required grading within the allocated time allowed.

“If funding is not provided then the whole process could take a very long time or even failure.”

Bearsted are managed by former Maidstone United assistant manager Tony Cornwell, who has been given the target of becoming the first Kent Invicta League champions.

“Bearsted Football Club’s ambition is to gain promotion from the Kent Invicta League to the Kent League by 2012-2013,” added Mr Benton.

Bearsted begin their pre-season programme with a visit from Maidstone United on Saturday 16 July (3pm).

The Stones, who are managed by Bearsted resident Jay Saunders, have signed the son of Bearsted’s chairman Duncan Andrews, Graeme, who played for the club as a youngster.

Visit Bearsted’s website: www.bearstedfc.co.uk