by Alex Hoad

Paul Bowden-Brown says Ashford United do not mind what level of football they play next year, even if it is the newly-approved Step 6.

Former Maidstone chairman Bowden-Brown – now managing director of Homelands Enterprise – was part of a delegation representing the club which put forward details about the club’s plans for a return to senior football for the 2011/12 season.

He said: "We prepared a business plan for the FA and met their Leagues Committee.

"They asked where we would like to be and I said we don’t assume anything.

"We will go wherever they place us, we have no particular aspiration. There won’t be any moaning or groaning for us, wherever we end up."

Mr Bowden-Brown (pictured) added: "Naturally with the existing facilities we have we’d like to go as high as possible, but we’ll get what we’re given."

As well as being linked with admission to the fifth-step Safety Net Kent League, United have also been tipped for inclusion into the Vandanel Kent County League at Step 7, though a newly proposed Step 6 League in Kent was given the go-ahead by the Football Association last week.

The FA’s Leagues Committee gave the green light to the new set-up, which will help bridge the gap between the Kent League and the Kent County League.

A total of 15 clubs will be invited to take part by the FA’s Mike Appleby, with each given a week to respond.

Safety Net Kent League chairman Denise Richmond said: "It’s really positive news for Kent football."

The new league is now expected to be in place for the start of next season.

Mr Bowden-Brown added: "I know some of our supporters have been talking about us joining Step 6 and saying they would like us to go higher, but they have to remember the club went under and has to start again."

He added: "We should know by mid-May where we are going to be playing."

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