Kentish Football 
We're not going to give the Kent Senior Cup the backing it deserves, says Faversham boss Luchford
Sunday 23rd January 2011
The Kent County Football Association must sit-down and rethink the future of the Kent Senior Cup as both Faversham Town and Thamesmead Town will play weakened sides at Salters Lane on Thursday evening, writes Stephen McCartney.
The competition has lost it’s magic for a number of years. The Final should be played at the county’s highest ranked football club - Gillingham - but instead it’s played at one of the finalists’ grounds near the end of the season.
Early rounds of the competition are watched by low crowds and managers often make numerous changes to their team and supporters keep away in their droves.
The Kent County Football Association recently published a commercial opportunities brochure, which says a company can sponsor the Kent Senior Cup for £3,000 per year. Unfortunately the competition has no prize money for competing clubs, who run at a loss due to the poor attendances.
Faversham remained in eighth place in the Ryman League Division One South table following their 2-0 win over basement side Horsham YMCA at Salters Lane yesterday, courtesy of two goals from defender Ashley Brown.
The Lilywhites welcome second placed Bognor Regis Town to Salters Lane on Tuesday and travel to Fleet Town next Saturday and Luchford admitted his first team squad will not be playing Thamesmead in between those two games.
“We’re going to be playing a lot of games, with four games in a week,” said Luchford.
“The Thamesmead game, I know Keith McMahon feels the same as I do, we feel a little bit hard done by how they’ve fixtured it and we’re not going to be able to give it the full backing that it deserves.”
Luchford whose side clinched the Kent League and the Kent Senior Trophy double last season added: “I can’t put a team out on a Saturday, a Tuesday, a Thursday and a Saturday, not at this level, they’re part-time at the end of the day.
“Listen, the team I put out there will still want to win the game.”
Thamesmead Town boss Keith McMahon revealed he will be sending his reserve side to Salters Lane on Thursday night.
Mead suffered a 4-1 defeat away to Grays Athletic yesterday, slipping down to eleventh place in the Ryman League Division One North table and they travel to Ilford on Monday night; Faversham on Thursday and welcome Cheshunt to Bayliss Avenue next Saturday.
McMahon said: “Our reserves are going, the reserves will go because Justin will do the same.
“The KCFA have put pressure on both sides to play the game this week, with all the cancellations, they made us play it this week.
“Faversham have three games on their pitch in a week, which is ridiculous and I just hope it has an inkling of rain on Thursday and Faversham call the game off because I think it’s wrong on both sides.
“It’s demeaning both competitions, there’s no way I’m going to put a side that’s played (so many games in a short space of time). It will be my reserves that will be down Faversham, reserves and youth side.”
Visit Faversham Town’s website: www.favershamtownfc.co.uk
Visit Thamesmead Town’s website: www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk
To sponsor the Kent Senior Cup visit :
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd