Does the Kent League have a future?

FED UP with travelling the length and breath of the county during midweek and not enough fixtures during the season? Well Kent League secretary Roy Vinter has invited member clubs to voice their disproval and change things for the better, writes Stephen McCartney.

The date of the Kent League AGM is June 16th and clubs can put forward their ideas.

Thirty games in a league campaign is clearly not enough and managers throughout the league have campaigned for more matches.

VCD Athletic boss Martin Ford is the latest in a string of managers unhappy with the present set-up.  "The season for me has never in all fairness got going," he told the club's website this week.  

"Lack of teams mean lack of fixtures and so this season had too many breaks for my liking.

"Clubs never seem to have played the same number of fixtures and we have had too many weeks without fixtures.  In fact over the new year period most of us went nearly a month without a game.

"What can we do?  People are suggesting that the League Cup is played on a league basis and left solely to midweek.  To me that makes sense but will all clubs take it seriously?

"I expect they will all the time they have a chance of qualifying but if they can't will it become a lottery, that's the big question?

"Whatever is done to create more fixtures, as clubs, we need to go along with it.

"It is now becoming increasingly difficult to attract players, crowds and keep players happy throughout the season.

"My way of thinking, in its present format the league will only go one way and that's not up.

"Let's hope League officials come up with a solution and quick before this once proud Kent League becomes another statistic."

Vinter said it's not down to the Kent League which clubs play in their division.

"The FA National League Committee will decide who is going where and that's over the whole country not just in Kent," he said.  

"We are not the only league with 16 teams - the Essex and Ryman League Division Two have only 16 clubs."

But what the Kent League can do is dictate the allocation of it's league and cup fixtures.

Why should Tunbridge Wells play their home games at the same time as their Ryman League neighbours Tonbridge Angels?  Why should Herne Bay travel to Erith Town on a Monday night? Why should Thamesmead Town travel to Hythe Town midweek? Why can't we have local derbies during midweek and longer journey's on a Saturday? It's only common sense, isn't it?

"It will be up to the fixture secretary (Fred Altree) to decide the fixtures and clubs have to voice their opinions at the AGM," said Vinter.

"They must voice their opinions because at the end of the day the fixture secretary, is like me, a servant to the league.

"We are elected every year and it's up to the clubs if they don't like us to put somebody else in.

"But at the end of the day they say they want less or more midweek fixtures then that's the way they have to be.

"Club's can voice their opinions - it's not always possible with the way the fixtures come out and if there is a swell of opinions, that will be looked at very seriously - at the end of the day it's their league and not mine or the fixture secretary's."

Vinter revealed the fixtures are compiled manually but they have looked at computerised packages.

In season 1997-98 the Kent League consisted of 22 clubs but if Ramsgate are successful in their deserved promotion bid there will only be 15 clubs next season - and even one of them - Sporting Bengal United hail from East London.

Vinter, however, is concerned, like everybody else in Kent, that their aren't any clubs with floodlights and adequate facilities that can progress from the Kent County League and follow in the footsteps of Maidstone United, Lordswood, VCD Athletic and Sevenoaks Town.

"We would hope the County League clubs would progress as that's the idea of having a promotion and relegation system - they are part of the League system," said Vinter.

"But if there's no clubs in there - nobody this season qualifies because they don't have floodlights - then no one is able to come up into our league."

Another idea that's been branded around is having reserve sides - such as Gravesend & Northfleet for example - competing in the premier division.

Vinter, however, played down that idea, adding: "We have considered reserve teams but under the National League system rules we wouldn't get approval.

"There's one league, I can't remember which one, that has already been turned down in recent months.  

"I know the Western League used to have reserve sides but it's frowned upon by the FA.

"The only way you can expand is to have the cup competition as a two-legged affair," Vinter put forward.

"Played on a mini-league basis and the winners playing in a knock out at a later stage.

"But if you are suggesting the league to play three or four times during a season, you would never get in our fixtures if you play each other four times.

"Some clubs could cry foul because who would play at home or away on the third meeting?"

Is Vinter happy that the Kent League only has 30 league games - and that will reduce to 28 if Ramsgate get promoted and Erith & Belvedere get another reprieve and avoid a second successive relegation from the Southern League.

"No, we would like to have 20-22 clubs and if someone can tell me where the clubs would come from we would be happy to know," he said.

Vinter would like to hear from companies to sponsor the Kent League next season.

"It's a concern for anybody losing sponsors," he admits.  "We are looking and contacting a number of people on the matter.

"The figure that we would want would have to be negotiated between the two parties, between the League and the new sponsor."

Vinter is, however, satisfied with the quality of the teams - as the league's record in national cup competition proves.

Combined Counties League division one champions Coney Hall could be welcomed into the Kent League - if the Tiepigs Lane outfit get the authorisation to do so and upgrade their facilities.

Vinter added: "Coney Hall would have to speak to the Combined Counties League to seek a transfer across to the Kent League. 

"They would need to get the backing of the two leagues and the National League System for approval, if that was their wish.  I don't know if they want to do it."

Next season will be tough for the Kent League but at least clubs have a chance to change things for the better and through this article they can discuss what needs doing in time for the AGM on June 16th.

They can all come to some sort of arrangement so everyone is happy and players and supporters, that care about Kent League football, don't have to endure pointless trips across the county on cold Tuesday nights.

 * Anybody interested in sponsoring the league should telephone Roy Vinter on 01227 730 457.