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Whitstable Town want plans in place to avoid future debate in the Isthmian League as another season is set to be scrapped

06:00, 21 January 2021

Whitstable Town accept this season should be scrapped but want assurances that plans will be in place to cover such issues in the future.

The Isthmian League are asking clubs to send in their thoughts on what should happen next - the board of the league want to null and void the campaign - but Town director Ron Martin hopes in future any possible curtailment of a league campaign will be covered in the rules and regulations.

Whitstable Town are facing a second season being declared null and void Picture: Alan Langley
Whitstable Town are facing a second season being declared null and void Picture: Alan Langley

Mr Martin said: “The view of the club, through the board of directors and the football management side, is that if you are going to stop playing midway through seasons then there should be a proper plan in place of how it should end before you even start kicking a ball. That hasn’t happened in the last two seasons.

“There was talk about it last summer and it didn’t happen. We are not in favour of making up rules part way through the season to decide whether it should be points per game or to play each other once, or play local derbies, whatever, it doesn’t seem right.

“What we would like is that before the next season starts it should be clearer what would happen if the season stops part way through. Everyone will then know what they are dealing with before you start paying money and playing football. If you don’t know what the rules are before you start playing then it doesn’t seem fair to us.

“At the moment we would support the season being terminated. We would not be keen to kick-off again next season without knowing what would happen should it be suspended again. I think a lot of clubs feel the same.”

Whitstable have so far played nine games - more than others - but the season was halted when the country was placed into tiers. Kent was worst hit and it meant fans could no longer watch matches, denying clubs a much-needed income. Playing was no longer sustainable.

There are hopes that a new season can kick-off in August with crowds in attendance.

Mr Martin said: “We don’t really think we should be playing football at this level until we can have fans in and some kind of opening of the clubhouse.

“It worked for a while at the start of the season, after we put in our Covid safe procedures, we had a limited capacity and could sell beers if we did it in a safe way, but that all got shut down when it went to the tier system.

“Then it became unfair because different clubs were in different tiers and we agreed with the league’s decision to suspend it because clubs in Sussex could play with fans and we in Kent couldn’t.”

Fellow Isthmian League sides Sittingbourne, Ashford and Folkestone have all told the FA they would prefer the season to be declared null and void. Clubs have until Friday to put their views across.

Read more on the debate;

'It's a no-brainer' says Folkestone Invicta chairman

'We're with the league on this one' declare Brickies

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