Soccer Shorts: Burgess Hill Town secure their Ryman League status

Here are tonight’s Soccer Shorts….

EBBSFLEET UNITED’S PASE side will be gunning to bring the first of two trophies to the north Kent club this week, writes Stephen McCartney.

They welcome Southern League club Thatcham Town to Stonebridge Road on Wednesday night (7:30pm) to contest the Football Conference Youth League Championship Final.

Then it’s the turn of Liam Daish’s first-team squad on Saturday when they meet Torquay United in the FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium.

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering both games.

Goals from Kwesi Appiah, Michael West and Chris Henry helped the Fleet defeat League Two outfit Barnet 3-2 after extra time to set up a final against Thatcham Town, who had defeated FC Manchester and will be no pushovers.

Meanwhile, Stonebridge Road is the venue for the Blue Square South play-off final between Hampton & Richmond Borough and Eastbourne Borough on Thursday night.

The tie has been moved from it’s original venue at Stevenage Borough and the Conference confirmed the use of the Fleet’s ground following a decision last Friday.

MAIDSTONE UNITED are delighted to announce that season ticket prices have been frozen until 30 June.

Supporters who purchase their ticket by that date will make substantial savings compared to the standard matchday admission for a season which will see local derbies against Dartford, Dover Athletic, Margate, Ramsgate and Tonbridge Angels.

Standard matchday entrance prices have been increased for the 2008/09 season.

Maidstone United chairman Paul Bowden-Brown told www.maidstoneunited.co.uk : “The board of directors have reluctantly decided to raise matchday admission prices. After one season at Ryman Premier level, it proved to be far more costly than had been originally budgeted for.

“With the anticipated extra costs involved in the move to the new stadium and the possibility of an increased investment in the playing squad in a bid to eradicate the problems that we have experienced last season, the need for extra revenue could prove paramount.”

The season ticket prices are as follows (price freeze offer in brackets):

Adult £190 (£168)
Adult (inc. main stand seat) £221 (£189)
60+ £109 (£84)
60+ (inc. main stand seat) £135 (£105)
11-16 £74 (£35)
11-16 (inc. main stand seat) £95 (£56)
Junior £38
Junior (inc. main stand seat) £57
Family £336 (£336) (two adults and up to two children)

The new matchday admission prices are:
Adults £10
Students £7 (on production of a valid student card)
60+ £6
11-16 £4
Juniors £2
Family £18 (two adults and up to two children)

Add £1 for a seat in main stand.

Meanwhile, the Stones are looking for coaching staff for their community work and youth teams.

The club are looking to strengthen their coaching structure by attracting quality coaches and managers, preferably Level 2 FA qualified, who would enjoy working with a highly-professional, committed team to bring top class coaching opportunities to Maidstone.

Youth development advisor Damian Matthew told www.maidstoneunited.co.uk  : "Maidstone United's youth and community section has some fantastic coaches but with our ever-expanding programme we need to attract new talent.

“We are looking for people with coaching experience and qualifications who can come straight in to our set-up and over time we will work with them to enhance their knowledge and skills."

Maidstone United chairman Paul Bowden-Brown told www.maidstoneunited.co.uk : "We are looking for people who are passionate about football and who are keen to develop players of the future and provide opportunities for people in the borough to take part in the sport.

“The youth and community work is helping to re-establish the club's name and reputation ahead our return to the town."

For more information on coaching and youth team management opportunities, contact youth development officer Adrian Smith on 07801 023365 or email mufcyouth@btinternet.com

In addition, the club are currently recruiting children seven years old and under, both boys and girls, with a view to having a team of each in next season’s Invicta Primary League at under 8 level.

There are also opportunities for children and young people to join and strengthen all the club's youth teams:

For the under 7 to 10 teams contact Andy Ryan on 07795 121817 and for the under 11 to 16 teams contact Paul Edwards on 07791 324809.

WEST SUSSEX club Burgess Hill Town will maintain their Ryman League Division One South status after extending their stay at Leylands Park.

An Agreement has been reached between the Club's landowners Mid Sussex District Council and directors of Burgess Hill Town Football Club, which should ensure that Ryman League football continues at Leylands Park next season.

Club Chairman Kevin Newell and fellow director Clive Dryden met with Cllr Gordon Marples, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, Cllr Garry Wall, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Outdoor Services and senior Council Officers to discuss a way forward for the Club.

The discussions, driven by the urgent need for the Club to be able to confirm to the Ryman League that it will be in a position to fulfil its fixtures next year, were frank and constructive.

Both parties recognised that the Council's recent action to serve notice to quit on the Club arose because of problems in obtaining the payment of rent, which had now been overcome.

Breaches of planning requirements had previously soured relationships and this, in turn, had adversely impacted on sections of the local community, the Club's players and supporters.

Agreement was reached on various repairs and improvements that need to be carried out and the Council's officers will liaise immediately with the Directors to agree a realistic programme of works to be completed before the start of next season. This will include work on the floodlights, safety lighting.

The Council will also work closely with the Club on longer-term projects to restore existing facilities on the ground to appropriate standards.

To enable the Club to continue playing, the Council intends to grant a new, short-term lease to commence when the present one expires in mid October this year. Terms for the new lease were agreed in principle verbally and will be advised in writing to the Ryman League last Friday.

Mid Sussex District Council and Burgess Hill Town Football Club recognise that a key objective is to find a suitable long-term home for the Club. Every effort will be made by both parties to find an alternative, permanent home for the football club as part of the District Council's Core Strategy work.

"Both sides entered into discussions with a determination to put recent problems to one side and to secure the long-term future of the District's most senior football club which has a century and a quarter of history behind it", said Cllr Gordon Marples, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, when speaking to www.bhtfc.co.uk.

"We identified issues which need to be addressed and who will be responsible for them. I believe we have struck a new understanding on how we will work together in future, to the benefit of everyone associated with the Club and, equally important, local residents and the wider community.

"Mutual trust has been restored and both parties know where they stand and share an understanding of what needs to be done."

Burgess Hill’s chairman Mr Kevin Newell said: "Our talks with the Council were both open and positive and I am pleased with the outcome.

“Much needs to be done to get things where we want them to be, but we will now work closely with the Council. We have given that commitment and therefore have confidence that the Ryman League will now agree to the Hillians competing next season. We will know finally next week, after one of the League's regular board meetings.

"There are no winners or losers in any of this. There has been give and take on both sides and, looking ahead, I hope that those people who offered us such great support in the past few weeks will now come forward to help us secure the Club's long-term future.

"We need the community to work with us and know what it expects from us in return," the chairman told the club's website www.bhtfc.co.uk.