Kentish Football 
Soccer Shorts: We will run Ebbsfleet United in a financially responsible manner, says Peter Varney
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BECKENHAM TOWN groundsman Ian Muir is one of five finalists in The Football Associations National award for the best pitch at step 5-6 of the national pyramid.
Mr Muir has been invited to attend the awards ceremony at the FA's new St Georges Park Football Centre in Burton-on-Trent on 7 August when the winner will be announced.
BROMLEY will be attending this year's Hayes Fair at Baston House School tomorrow.
The Conference South club will have their own stall at the fair and will be promoting its Community Scheme work along with the club's pre-season schedule.
Items from the club shop will be on sale and the club will also be hosting a footballing sharpshooter competition. The fair takes place at the school situated on Baston Road, Hayes BR2 7AB, between 12pm to 4pm.
DARTFORD boss Tony Burman has unveiled the signing of versatile defender Tyrone Sterling, 25, from Dover Athletic.
The highly-rated defender has previously played for Thamesmead Town and Cray Wanderers, before Chris Kinnear enticed him away from Hayes Lane to sign for Conference South side Dover Athletic last season, as well as having a trial with League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge.
Burman told www.dartfordfconline.com: “I have been impressed with Tyrone’s desire and commitment to play at Dartford FC for the right reasons and to have the opportunity to play at a higher level.”
Cray Wanderers chairman Gary Hillman is delighted for his former player, getting a chance to play at the highest level of non-league football.
“Congrats on signing for Dartford,” he said. “Should’ve been playing in the Conference years ago. We done well for keeping him for so long.”
DOVER ATHLETIC have confirmed that goalkeeper Lee Hook and defensive pair Lee Harrington and Sean Raggett have penned new one-year deals to stay at Crabble.
The club have confirmed that former Carshalton Athletic player Michael Kamara and left-back Tom Wynter have also put pen to paper to stay at the Conference South club.
Chris Kinnear's first summer signing is Craig Stone who arrives following his release from Ebbsfleet United.
Dover Athletic have accepted £13,000 to allow midfielder Dayrl McMahon to sign for Ebbsfleet United, who have also enticed Dean Rance, and strikers Billy Britnell and Ben May to sign for the Stonebridge Road club.
Dover Athletic have confirmed that left-back Tom Axford and central midfielder Terry Dixon have been released.
Chairman Jim Parmenter told www.doverathletic.com : "We expect to announce a new contract next week for another member of last season's squad. Other players have been away on holiday and we will be talking to them when they get back.
"Myself and Chris will be aiming to build a hungry young squad that can win this league and are 100% committed to Dover Athletic.
"Sure, we would have liked to have kept one or two of those who have left, but Chris is already talking to lots of players. The budget is now where it started last season, as any transfer fees we get go towards bettering the team. Likewise, if the gates increase enough."
EBBSFLEET UNITED manager Steve Brown has had a busy week as he rebuilds the squad at Stonebridge Road, following the club's second relegation in three years under former boss Liam Daish.
Left-back Aiden Palmer, 26, has arrived from Conference South rivals Chelmsford City.
The Londoner broke into the Leyton Orient side after beginning his career there in 2004 and played 50 times in five years for the east London club. Spells in East Anglia with Bishop's Stortford and Cambridge followed, as well as a loan period at Dagenham & Redbridge. From Bishop's Stortford, the highly-rated defender spent more than a month on trial at Watford before signing for Chelmsford City in summer 2011.
An almost ever-present performer for the Essex club in two play-off-challenging seasons, he earned rave reviews for his consistency and technical ability at Melbourne Park.
Palmer told www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk: "My goal in joining Ebbsfleet is to first gain promotion to the Conference Premier, and then eventually to make it into the Football League.
"I think we have signed some great players already that can help us achieve that goal and I look forward to getting on the pitch with them and enjoying a bright future at the Fleet."
Former Dover Athletic assistant manager Brown has returned to his former club to sign strikers Ben May, 29, striker Billy Bricknell, 24, defender Dean Rance and has splashed out £13,000 to sign midfielder Daryl McMahon, 29.
May is a Gravesend-born player with plenty of Football League experience since progressing from school in Dartford alongside good friend and England international Glen Johnson, and then through Millwall's youth ranks.
He played 90 times for the Lions in a seven-year career between 2001 and 2008, scoring 14 goals. He also enjoyed loan spells with Brentford, Colchester United and Scunthorpe United, signing permanently for the latter in 2008 while they were in the Championship.
Joining League Two side Stevenage in 2010, his time there was disrupted by injury and a loan period at Barnet followed.
May moved to Dover in 2012 and was promptly among the goals, firing the Crabble side to the play-off final with 19 league goals.
May told www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk: "It's all exciting stuff; Steve Brown showed an interest in signing me as soon as he knew he would be manager of Ebbsfleet. I'm currently enjoying a nice little break from football but I'm itching to lace my boots up and get back on the pitch. I look forward to my future with Ebbsfleet United Football Club".
McMahon, meanwhile, is a familiar figure to Fleet fans having featured and scored for Farnborough against Ebbsfleet in the Blue Square South play-off final in 2011 and before that as part of a Stevenage side that won the FA Trophy. He also recently turned out in Dover's play-off final defeat at Salisbury.
The Irish-born midfielder began his career as a West Ham trainee before spells at Torquay, Port Vale and Notts County brought him Football League appearances. He played more than 65 times for Leyton Orient, before dropping into non-league with Stevenage, Cambridge United and later Boreham Wood, Eastleigh and Dover Athletic.
Bricknell said: “I’m excited to join because of the ambition shown by the new owners. I had a few offers from other Conference South teams on the table but I chose Ebbsfleet due to the ambition they are showing to firstly get promotion straight back into the Conference Premier and then climb into the Football League.
“Obviously my time already spent with Steve Brown at Dover Athletic was a huge factor in joining and it’s a pleasure to be linking up with him again.”
Ebbsfleet United revealed that they have a playing budget of £8,000 a week and a transfer kitty of £100,000.
Vice-chairman Peter Varney told the club website: "Our budget is by no means the highest in the League and I have said previously we will run Ebbsfleet United in a financially responsible manner.
"Our wage budget is a matter of public record because of the open nature of the offer we were obliged to make to MyFC, the former owners of Ebbsfleet United."
ERITH & BELVEDERE were cleared of all charges relating to Adam Burchell's alleged ineligibility against Sevenoaks Town last October.
A club statement, which was published on the club's website www.erithbelvederefc.co.uk on 5 June, said: "A Kent Football League disciplinary committee has ruled that Erith & Belvedere FC have no case to answer. This is now the final chapter of the issue closed and we can finally confirm that we are the 2012-2013 Kent Hurlimann Football League champions."
FISHER hold their Annual General Meeting on Friday 21 June, 6pm, at Canada Water Library.
This year’s AGM will see an important update and member resolution relating to the club’s campaign to bring Fisher home, so it is crucial that as many members as possible attend. New members are welcome to join on the night.
The meeting will also deal with the presentation of the accounts, receive the club’s annual report and will also see the election of directors to the board.
Fisher are constituted on a co-operative basis which means that each member of the club holds an equal share and has equal voting rights to everybody else (including the directors and chair). Fisher members are the real owners of the club and as their membership grows the club becomes stronger.
After the formal business of the meeting, an informal session will be held with team manager Billy Walton and his coaching team.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA have confirmed that striker Johan Ter Horst, 18, has signed his first senior contract with the club.
The teenager scored seven goals for the club last season as they finished in fifth-place in the Ryman League Division One South club last season, losing 1-0 at Maidstone United in the play-off semi-finals.
Manager Neil Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk : "Johan's taking a year out from his studies and I'm delighted to say he will be here playing for us next season."
With prolific goalscorer Stuart King also back in the fold, having returned from Maidstone United, Cugley is understandably pleased to have two of the most gifted forwards in the division on the books.
"We've also got Richard Atkins till he goes away in September and Justin (Luchford) - plus I'm still talking to another striker," added Cugley.
Cugley said that midfielder Josh Burchell remains a contracted player, following speculation about a move to neighbours Hythe Town.
Cugley added: "Every player's got a price, of course, but I can't see him going anywhere."
Meanwhile, the club confirmed that admission prices will go up a pound to £9 next season. The increased £1 of that is to be ring-fenced and will go towards paying off the club's historical debt under the terms of their CVA.
HERNE BAY chairman Trevor Kennett has confirmed Joe Nelder, the club's player-of-the-season last term, has decided to re-sign for the club.
He told www.pitchero.com/clubs/hernebay : "Joe is an outstanding player and I am very pleased that he has re-signed for the club."
Meanwhile, Jordan Tunji Agbajae has re-signed for the club, although central defender and club captain James Campbell has left Winch’s Field.
Manager Sam Denly said: “I would have loved for Cams to stay at the club but we couldn’t agree terms so I wish him well for the future.”
HOLMESDALE coach Ross Mitchell is running his goalkeeper academy for a second year at the Bromley-based Kent League club.
“This started at the beginning of last season where I was initially coaching three keepers, but by the end of the season this had increased to fifteen, this was mainly through word of mouth,” said Mitchell, who is also the club secretary at the Oakley Road based club.
“Since I stopped playing football myself, I decided to focus on coaching. This has mainly been with Holmesdale’s senior keepers, but I have also been coaching the keepers at Arsenal’s development centres for the past two years.
“I really enjoy being a goalkeeping coach and I’m passionate about young keepers learning good habits and developing themselves into good keepers.
“I believe that the techniques and skills they learn at an early age will benefit them when they move onto more senior football, but the majority of junior clubs don’t have a keeper coach.
“It’s often the case that the goalkeeper gets stuck in goal and might get a few shots here and there, but don’t actually get taught anything. It is something that I used to do when I was younger and really enjoyed it.
“Last year I got very positive feedback from both the kids’ and parents’ and I’m delighted that they have all signed up for the coming season.
“Additionally, last year FC Elmstead sent me all of their junior keepers for season long coaching and this is something that will continue next season.
“I am looking to expand the numbers and make the sessions tailored to individual needs; as a result I am taking on another coach to help me deliver this. I also helped keepers without a club find one through my good contacts and now that Holmesdale has invested a lot of time and money into its youth set up, there will be some more opportunities for that.”
Keepers between the ages 6-16 are welcome (boys and girls), with sessions being held on a Saturday morning between 09:30-11:00. Parents are welcome to come and watch and all coaches are CRB checked. Further details on 07875 730 862.
LORDSWOOD report back for pre-season training on Saturday 29 June under new manager Simon Halsey.
Players should meet at Martyn Grove by the changing rooms ready to start at 10am sharp. Players should bring both football boots and trainers to cover all eventualities of training types that may be carried out.
Potential newcomers should email the club lordswoodfc@live.co.uk with their details and football CV prior to the start of training.
MAIDSTONE UNITED have confirmed the departure of winger Kaiyne Woolery, who has signed for full-time Conference Premier club Tamworth.
The right-sided midfielder made a total of 32 appearances in his solitary season with the club, scoring one goal.
Manager Jay Saunders told www.maidstoneunited.co.uk : "I am of course disappointed to lose Kaiyne, but I can understand the lure of full-time football for a boy of his age. We wish Kaiyne all the best as he tries to make it in the full-time game."
The Stones have also snapped up versatile defender Richard Davies, 19, from Kent League double winners Erith & Belvedere.
Saunders added: “This is a step-up for Richard but he’s got the qualities to go far in the game. Being in a squad with the likes of Tommy Osborne and Steve Watt can only help him develop his game.”
RUSTHALL boss Gary Sharman and his management team would like to invite all current and future players to a meet and greet session at Jockey Farm.
This will take place on Tuesday 11 June from 7:30pm and new boss Sharman will be setting out his plans for pre-season friendly games and the forthcoming Kent Invicta League season. He will also be introducing his coaching team.
Any players who want to be part of this exciting new era should attend because it's an open evening.
Pre-season training starts on Tuesday, 18 June at Jockey Farm between 7-9pm.
The manager can be contacted by email shrli9@aol.com.
SEVEN ACRE & SIDCUP are searching for new first team and reserve team management teams for next season.
The Kent Invicta League side would like to thank Chris Tuley, Danny Frost, Phil Collier and their backroom staff and Tom Burman and Kevin Meade for their efforts last season.
The first team finished in fifth-place in the table and also won the Beckenham Hospital Invitation Charity Cup after coming from behind to beat Tudor Sports 2-1 last month.
The search for new managers for both sides has already seen lots of CV's reach the club, but any additional ones should be emailed to lhsasfc@gmail.com by 5pm on Monday 10 June.
The club have installed seating at Oxford Road, which now meets ground grading criteria for step six.
Meanwhile, the club are pleased to announce that the reserves and under 21 teams will be playing their home games at Thamesmead's wonderful state of the art 4G pitch at Bayliss Avenue next season.
SUTTON ATHLETIC have appointed James Collins, 30, as their new manager. The former Erith Town boss takes over from Guy Eldridge, who stepped down after seven years in charge of the Hextable-based Kent Invicta League club.
VCD ATHLETIC have unveiled striker Richmond Kissi as their first summer signing, having signed him from fellow newly-promoted Ryman League Division One North rivals Erith & Belvedere.
Meanwhile, the Crayford-based club have been placed in newly-created Ryman League Under 21 North Division and are the only Kent club in the ten-team division.
Fixtures will be played either midweek or Saturday and can contain three over-age players.
Maidstone United, Margate, Ramsgate, Thamesmead Town and Whitstable Town have been placed in the 10-team South Division.
WELLING UNITED have confirmed that striker Kiernan Hughes-Mason, 21, has penned a new one-year deal to stay at Park View Road.
Manager Jamie Day told www.pitchero.com/clubs/wellingutd : "Kiernan had an excellent first year with us and I know he'll be looking to improve further in a division he knows well from his time at Grimsby."
The former Millwall youngster joined the Wings last summer after leaving Grimsby Town. He made 44 appearances and scored 12 goals for champions Welling, as well as bagging the Blue Square Bet South player-of-the-month award for December 2012.
WHITSTABLE TOWN are searching for a qualified coach to assist their under 18 manager.
The club’s under 18s play with the Kent Youth League and have entered the FA Youth Cup require an enthusiastic, willing and ideally qualified coach to assist the under 18 manager.
Club chairman/secretary Gary Johnson said: “Whitstable Town are a progressive Ryman League club operating teams within the Ryman League South and Under 21 League, hence the opportunity to develop and progress is feasible as we integrate the players and look for their development too.”
To apply or express an interest, please contact Mr Johnson detailing your qualifications etc to secretary@whitstabletownfc.co.uk or call 07957 424 810.
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