Title challengers Margate and Maidstone United aim to stand and deliver

A good turnout of supporters attended a fans’ forum at Hartsdown Park on Friday night.

Mr Laslett and manager Terry Brown outlined the changes already implemented and the outlook for the future of the Ryman Premier League club.

Mr Laslett explained that he’s determined to make Margate “a top club, both on and off the field but what happens on the pitch is key, firstly we need to win matches.

“I’m excited for the new season, there’s some good talent in the squad,” he told www.margate-fc.co.uk.

The chairman went on to clarify what changes he’s made since he took over the club, ranging from new staff and players to a Championship quality programme and improved floodlights.

Brown added: “I’ve got good players, great characters.  If you look at the average age of our squad, we’ve gone for young, hungry players.”

The club are expected to be challenging for the Ryman Premier League title this season and fans can watch the club in action for the first time on home soil when Brown’s former club, AFC Wimbledon, visit Hartsdown Park next Saturday, 12 July.

Brown added: “We’ve got 46 Cup finals.  Everyone will want to beat Margate.

“You’ll see passion and good attacking football next season.”

Margate’s rivals for the title, Maidstone United, have announced plans to increase the capacity of the Gallagher Stadium.

Co-owner Terry Casey unveiled a £500,000 scheme to extend the main stand, which will add another 300 standard seats and 50 Vice-President seats.

New gates and turnstiles will enable the overall capacity to rise from the current 2,226 to more than 3,000, which is needed to host Conference South football.

Mr Casey told www.maidstoneunited.co.uk: “The support we’ve had since our homecoming in 2012 has been phenomenal.  We’ve been looking at ways to increase the capacity and the most effective one is to extend the main stand.

“This will give us much-needed seats and help boost the capacity towards the number required for Conference football.

“The main stand extension works for us as we can fund it through reinvestment and grants rather than going down the route of borrowing and all the interest that would incur.

“Additional seating is a priority as yet again we’ve sold out on main stand season tickets and Vice-President tickets for the coming season and I thank everyone who’s renewed or bought a ticket for the first time.”

Work is expected to begin next May, with completion for the start of the 2015/16 season.

Long terms plans are being drawn up that would see the capacity more than double and make the stadium suitable for League One and Two football.

Visit Margate’s website: www.margate-fc.co.uk  

Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk