Struggling Hythe Town suffer financial heartache

HYTHE TOWN have confirmed that Scott Porter’s playing budget has been cut.

The club have suffered like hundreds of other non-league football clubs following the wettest winter in 250 years.

The chairmanless Ryman League Division One South club held a board meeting last Monday and issued a statement on their website to inform supporters about the financial problems that have hit the Reachfields Stadium club

Influential players in the shape of Dave Cook and Pat Kingwell have jumped ship to drop down a level to sign for Southern Counties East Football League leaders Ashford United.

The club have slipped down the Ryman League Division One South table in recent weeks and are presently in sixteenth-place in the table with 34 points from 28 games, only four points adrift of the relegation zone with eighteen games remaining.

“In common with many other football clubs, Hythe Town FC have been experiencing decreasing revenues which have been caused by both the current economic climate and the recent spell of poor weather,” said the club.

“Countless postponements have led to a full programme of midweek games, but these will strain playing resources and can mean a drop of anything up to 50% in match receipts.

“Supporters also need to know that the quality of players seen at Reachfields in recent seasons are funded by a variety of sources and when those sources diminish, players with families and mortgages will look to increase their incomes elsewhere whether it be inside or outside football.

“It is no secret that our playing budget has had to be reduced somewhat, but we are still confident that in this transitional season our remaining players and management team will pull things round so that we can all look forward to a more successful time next season.

“It is not the club’s style to be asking for donations but we do appeal to all supporters to turn up in good numbers (and voice) for our remaining fixtures and also for some fund raising events we will be holding.

“The first of these is a Race Night at the Hythe Imperial on Saturday 15 March.

“Finally, we would like to thank both of our latest departures, Dave Cook and Pat Kingwell, for the fantastic service that they have given the club.

“We would also like to take the opportunity to remind supporters that both Craig Thompson and Craig Cloke are back at Reachfields and ready to do battle for us all!

“We hope to see as many of our supporters as possible when we face Sittingbourne at Reachfields tomorrow (3pm).”

Visit Hythe Town’s website: www.hythetownfc.co.uk