My first stint of management has left a sour taste in the mouth, says Simon Pettit

“This is our first stint into management and it has left a sour taste in the mouth to be totally honest.

“When I joined the club I was told that Simon Austin's behaviour was totally unacceptable at the end of last season in quitting and taking his squad with him.

“In hindsight I can see exactly where he is coming from. In fact I recently read his departing interview on this website and I can tick all of the points he made against the directors and set up at the club.

“I arrived at the club with very few players with Kent League experience. We invited as many people in as possible for open trials etc, and had to get through nearly 60 players to look at. I personally arranged favours from teams like Ramsgate, Sittingbourne, etc to get a team together and play us at Winch’s field.
“I set up eight friendlies and felt that was an absolute minimum requirement to take a look at all the players we had show up. Alarm bells rung when the games were cancelled and I was left to call teams and pull strings with Ramsgate etc to rearrange games to away fixtures.

“The lack of professionalism reared its head for the first time.

“Since then, things have gone from bad to worse.  We have no proper training facility, the players haven't been paid their minimal travel expense in three weeks. I cannot get in touch with anybody from the board of directors for training balls, kits.

“I honestly feel that the board gambled on winning FA Cup and FA Vase games to bankroll the club for however long it would last, due to us going out in the first round of both. 

“If you cannot afford to be a chairman then handover to somebody that can, or whom at least has a plan to to get the players paid to travel to games and get a training facility booked twice per week. FA Vase and FA Cup runs are a bonus to a season, not something you assume or budget for.

“Maybe previously I have been spoilt with chairmen like Richard Lawson (at Ramsgate FC) that know what running a club is all about. Richard always ensured three things above all, a training facility, travel and agreed wages and that is a basis that a chairman cannot take short cuts on.

“On the footballing side, I look to teams around our level like Deal and Lordswood and due to knowing their management very well. I feel we have had a half decent start in the league and I am happy with our performances. However we have not progressed as I'd like to have in the FA Cup and Vase, but that's part and parcel of being in senior football!

“In the (FA Vase) game on Saturday (away to Sevenoaks Town), we were 2-0 down with 20 minutes to play. It was stick and still go out of the competition or twist and try to get something. The gamble didn't pay off, but any football man would understand the gamble in a knock out competition.

“As everybody knows, the league is bread and butter and we have beaten teams that have been together a lot longer than us and have gelled over the years, such as Deal Town and we beat them well, also the Lordswood game with a manager (Simon Halsey) that knows how to win this league, again we beat them and could have had a few more.

“Without facilities and the budget to sign top players in this league, Canterbury were never going to finish amongst the top teams like Ashford, Erith, Corinthian and Tunbridge Wells.

“We are the third management team that Canterbury have had in three years and I can see why. My advice would be that someone that knows lower league football takes over as chairman or at least sits on the board.

“If you want to run and a semi-professional football team, then do so properly with the correct support and facilities for the first team management, with the correct financial structure in place.  If you cannot do this, then either drop down a league or two where it does not matter to such an extent, or step aside for people that really know what they are doing.

“Thanks to the fans and players for their support in the last few months, you have all been great.

“This has left a bitter taste in the mouth, however, I will be taking another adventure into management at some point. 

“However, I will make sure everything is in place to be able to succeed as oppose to being drawn in by a veneer, only to find no structure beneath.

“For the remainder of the season I will be stepping back up to Ryman One football to get back to playing as I feel I have a year or two left to give on that side.”