Neil Cugley has called for unity at Folkestone after chairman Paul Morgan threatened to quit the club.

Morgan says things have turned “very sour and bitter” over the last 18 months and is ready to stand down if things don’t change.

In an open letter to supporters, he wrote: “There has been a lot of negativity, criticising of board members, players and how the club is run which is very hurtful and very unfair.

“Every board member does not get paid a penny. They plough in their own money when required to help the football club and give up a lot of their time.

“If the club could not field a team, facilities were poor and the pitch was unplayable I could accept the criticism and accept changes should be made at board level.

“But we can field a strong side, the facilities are fantastic and the pitch is the best condition it’s been in for years, so why all the negativity, criticising of board members and the way the club is run?

“I have sat down with my family and discussed my future with the football club and if the negativity and criticism does not stop, I will be standing down and walking away.

“This club does not need this kind of treatment from certain supporters and it is damaging this great football club which is such a shame.”

Invicta boss Cugley agreed with Morgan, whose company became the club’s shirt sponsor before he stepped up as associate director, director and then chairman.

Folkestone are financially stable and have improved on the pitch every year since 2012.

Cugley said: “I still think it’s a great club and it’s a shame a few people are trying to change that.

“Hopefully Paul will stay because I find him a top person and hopefully we can keep moving the club on in our usual way.

“We must have one of the best pitches, we’ve got nice changing rooms and both bars are making money so we are doing well.

“As Paul has said in the past, Rome wasn’t built in a day. We’re slowly building it each year and doing well.

“The majority of people are really pleased with how the club is run financially and the team we’re able to put on the pitch, for the money we pay, is very good.

“Most people do get behind the team and that’s the main thing. It’s about everybody getting behind our chairman and moving the club on.

“He comes all the way down from London and he wants to enjoy it but some people are trying to not make it enjoyable so it becomes a bit of a task.

“He’s a top person so hopefully people will realise what’s going on and move on from it.”

Folkestone host fifth-placed Worthing on Saturday and a win could take them to within a point of the Bostik Premier Division play-offs.

The Rebels are one of the sides Invicta need to catch and they go into the game having won 13 of their last 14 home matches.

Cugley said: “We’ve got more games at home than away and our home form’s been excellent so we’ll give it a go.

“We’ve not had the best of luck with injuries this year so to still be up there and in with a chance, we’ve got to be quite pleased.

“Worthing play good football and I think we do so it should be a good, attacking game.

“Our home games have been really good over the last few months, so bring it on. We’ve got hard games but that’s what you want at this time of year.

“You want games where it means something so let’s keep in there for as long as we can and who knows?”

Winger Kieron McCann is available to face Worthing having been away last weekend.

Read more: All the latest sports news in Kent