12thoct03

 STATEMENT FROM TOMMY SAMPSON

MANAGER DARTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB

11 OCTOBER 2003

 RE: PAUL RIBBENS & MAIDSTONE UNITED FC

With Maidstone United now cleared to continue in the FA Cup I wish to take this opportunity to clear up a few discrepancies that have recently appeared in the local media.

The course of events regarding Paul Ribbens and his registration at Dartford Football Club are as follows:-

Paul and I met on Saturday 6^th June 2003 at the Tollgate Motel near Gravesend and agreed that he would sign for Dartford FC. Paul signed a Southern League form, a Kent League form, a club code of conduct as well as a wage agreement form. On my way home I dropped all these documents off at my secretary’s house and asked him to deal with them. The following Tuesday morning Paul rang to say that because of certain personal circumstances he would not be playing for me after all and that he would be staying at Maidstone.

Whilst disappointed, I accepted Paul’s reasons and said that I would check to see what my secretary had done with all the documents regarding his registration.  A phone call to my secretary confirmed that all the documents had gone to the relevant registration offices and therefore Paul’s status was as a Dartford player. I informed Paul Ribbens and said to him that it would not be a problem and all he had to do was instruct the Maidstone United secretary to send a transfer form (Kent League) and my secretary would release him from his obligations to Dartford FC. There is no facility  to cancel or simply “tear up” a registration document with the Kent League once that registration has been made , but a simple transfer between clubs would be sufficient.

That was the last I heard until on Monday 29 September 2003 when my secretary rang me at 11.30am to tell me that Paul Ribbens had played in the FA Cup match with Hythe Town the previous day. He asked me if I had signed a transfer form releasing Paul Ribbens at any time since his first registration in June. Answering in the negative I told him to leave the situation with me. My next phone call was to Mr Jim Ward the Maidstone United manager. I informed Jim of the situation and said to him that it was vital that he act on the situation as in the cold light of day it presented a serious breach of the F.A.’s eligibility rules. Later that day (29th Sept) I also had a conversation with Maidstone United’s general manager Mr Bill Williams imparting to him the same information that I had given Jim Ward earlier in the day. I also offered Dartford Football Club’s help and co-operation in any deliberations they were going to have with the FA in the coming days.

It is irresponsible and malicious to suggest that I had and contact with the media, either press or radio in the following days to air any opinions I may have had or not had and as far as I was concerned the matter was being dealt with in the strictest confidence between Maidstone United and the FA.

I have the utmost respect for Mr Paul Bowden-Brown the chairman of Maidstone United and the efforts he is making to push his club forward and in Mr Jim Ward the manager I have a long standing friendship that outweighs any personal rivalry we have as managers of two local clubs. Paul Ribbens remains a close friend as well as a player who has played his heart out in the past for me.

Dartford Football Club and my own personal part in this episode has been beyond reproach and our only motive was to ensure that Maidstone United had the earliest possible opportunity to compile together a strong enough case to enable them to appeal to the Football Association.

I trust this statement puts an end to the “rumour mill” and the matter now, as far as I am concerned, closed.

Signed Tommy Sampson

Manager

Dartford FC

11 October 2003