King pledges his future with champions-elect Whitstable

After discussions with manager Marc Seager and chairman Tony Rouse, highly-rated striker Stuart King has pledged his future with Kent League champions-elect Whitstable Town, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Belmont outfit are on course of clinching their first ever Kent League title this season and a deserved promotion into the Ryman League Division One South in August.

Seager’s side are unbeaten in 21 Kent League games and enjoy a 13 point lead over second placed side Croydon with eleven games to go.

And former Herne Bay striker King is delighted to have settled his future ahead of their home Kent League Cup quarter-final showdown against local rivals Faversham Town tomorrow night.

“I have talked to the manager and the chairman and they have told me the club want me to stay,” he told www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk.

“I want to stay and continue to improve so I have decided to sign a contract with Whitstable until the end of the season.

“Then Marc, the chairman and myself will sit down together and discuss my future a the club.

“Marc and the football club have shown great faith in me and I want to show them how grateful I am for the way they have treated me.

“I have grown as a player, just as importantly, I have grown up as a person and a lot of it is down to my hard work but also the guidance of Marc and others at the club and I can only get better.”

Asked if he was flattered by the phone calls from other club’s chasing the Kent League leading goalscorer, King said: “Of course I want to play at a higher level but to me that means pro football and both the chairman, the vice-chairman and Marc have said they would not stand in my way.

“Marc even said he would drive me himself if I was offered a full-time contract. That says they have my best interest at heart.

“I have decided to go public to stop the speculation there is about me leaving the club. We are unbeaten and in a great position to win the title, still in two cups and playing some good football.”

King hailed the excellent team spirit from within the dressing room - a vital ingridient for a successful team.

He said: “I have some good mates in the dressing room. Rob Thomas apart from being a top quality defender is a top bloke, as are the rest of the lads from day one. They really made me feel part of the team.

“Marc has no favourites in the dressing room and tells it to you straight, which I like.

“With quality forwards like Steve Marshall, Sam Prett and Andy Constable to learn from why go elsewhere when I am getting better week by week and playing football with a smile on my face.”

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

Visit Faversham Town’s website: www.favershamtownfc.co.uk

Whitstable Town v Faversham Town
Kent League Cup Quarter-Final
Tuesday 20^th February 2007
Kick Off 7:45pm
At The Belmont, Belmont Road, Whitstable