28thjuly05

Thursday 28th July 2005

Whitstable appoint new chairman from within

Kentish Observer League club Whitstable Town have appointed their new chairman from within, writes Stephen McCartney.

At their AGM on Monday evening the outgoing chairman Joe Brownett recommended to the committee Mr Tony Rouse as the incoming chairman, and he was duly elected as the chairman of Whitstable Town, with Paul Gladwish as Vice chairman, Alan Gower as secretary and Joe Brownett as club treasurer.

Mr Rouse paid tribute to the 16 years that Mr Brownett has been Whitstable’s chairman, citing the good shape he leaves the club in, both on and off the pitch and the many years of hard work he has put into the club.

“I am thrilled to take on the mantle of chairman of Whitstable Town,” said Mr Rouse.

“It’s a great honour and one that I will do my utmost to repay the faith shown in me by Victor Gladwish through his company GLSfootball.com who are the clubs new main sponsors.

"With Victor's financial backing and the guidance of more experienced heads supporting me, such as Joe (Brownett) and Paul (Gladwish) and many others at the football club I shall make sure that Whitstable continues its proud tradition of fostering the youth set up, and endeavouring to play attractive attacking football at the Belmont with Matt Toms as the manager.

"One of my first tasks will be to meet with the junior section of the club to forge stronger links between the main club and the junior club for the benefit of all.

"This has blossomed with the U18’ wining their league and the reserves winning promotion thanks to the efforts of respective managers Peter Budge and Simon Kay”

Asked about his links with Victor Gladwish; Mr Rouse added: “It’s come about because Victor recognised my love of the football club, which makes me a bit like him, we both love to watch live local football.

"It would be easy to hang a label on Victor as just a wealthy guy with a very big ego splashing money around football.

"If that was the case he would be sitting with the great and the good in some swanky executive box at Stamford Bridge every Saturday watching his first love, Chelsea.

"Instead, he will be found watching teams like Whitstable or Southend Manor, Horsham YMCA, hardly as glamorous as Chelsea.

"It’s only when you spend some time in his company that you realise what a real football nut he is, his love of the game goes back to his childhood, playing on Hackney Marsh, when ‘jumpers for goalposts’ was the norm.

"From a very poor migrant family he has enjoyed financial success beyond the dreams of many but he still retains his love and links with lower league football.”

Asked about his plans for the future, Mr Rouse added: “I want to able to take Whitstable into the next league, we have proved that if you give the supporters what they want, good football played at a decent ground then the people of Whitstable will come to the Belmont, last season we were second behind Maidstone in the leagues attendances.

" Manager Matt Toms is pushing his side for promotion, I am looking for a good run in the F.A. Cup and the F.A. Vase and my aim during my time, as chairman is to pass on the football club in as good a shape, if not better than Joe has passed it to me," Mr Rouse told the club's website www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk

tn_tony_page (2k image)

Tony Rouse is the new chairman of Whitstable Town
Photo and article: www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk