Adrian Deane steps down as Erith & Belvedere chairman as club appoint husband and wife duo Paul and Amy Springett

ERITH & BELVEDERE have announced some major changes in the boardroom at Park View Road.

 

The newly-promoted Isthmian League South East Division club have announced the appointment of Paul and his wife Amy Springett as joint-chairpersons of the club.

Amy Springett now makes it three female chairs in Kent football, with Sophie Purves the chair at National League South club Tonbridge Angels and Natalie Benville at the helm at Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division outfit Deal Town.

“This appointment signifies the strong family values and principles that the club holds so dearly and will continue to cherish,” said a club statement.

“As a football club we feel this appointment continues to show the growing presence of the club in the community and the excellent progress of women within the football industry.

“Amy will be an excellent addition to the club and we are delighted to have her on board.”

The Companies House website confirms that Adrian Deane resigned as a director of the business on 7 November, as did fellow director James Lyons.

Deane was the chairman of the club and oversaw the departures of Tony Beckingham and Andy Constable last season, despite sitting at the summit of the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table.

Paul Springett, Lyons and Deane all played for the club.

The trio of former part-time footballers took over the running of the club from long-standing chairman John McFadden, who stepped down on 27 January 2020.

The club appointed current boss Matt Longhurst on Friday 17 March 2023 and he got the club across the line to win the league title by one point.

Runners-up Phoenix Sports claimed promotion via the play-offs by beating VCD Athletic 1-0, thanks to a last-gasp Ryan Hayes penalty, which relegated their next-door neighbours and cost Michael Power his job.

Erith & Belvedere go into the home game against fifth-placed Chichester City  on Sunday (15:00) sitting in the bottom three in the table with eight points (two wins, two draws) from their 11 games.

The Deres are winless in their last eight games (in all competitions), while Steve O’Boyle’s Phoenix Sports are second-from-bottom with eight points from 12 games.

Jason Huntley’s Beckenham Town are rooted to the foot of the table with four points from 10 games, despite finishing fifth last season and losing 1-0 away to Brighton-based Whitehawk in the play-off semi-finals.

Andy Montebello and Brian Spurrell (who is also the club historian) will also remain on the board of directors for the club and will continue to drive forward the club’s ambitions both on and off the pitch.

A lot was expected of Erith & Belvedere this season, upon their return to the eighth-tier for the first time since finishing bottom of the Isthmian League North Division in season 2013-14.

However, Longhurst was recently dealt a budget cut and centre-half Jamie Coyle, 40, and striker Chris Dickson, 38, have since signed for Glebe and Chatham Town respectively.

Erith & Belvedere welcome Chichester City to Park View Road on Sunday and after a review the club have received their concession rates back to £5, with free entry to all under 16s for the rest of the season in a bid to improve attendances at the Welling based stadium.

The club average crowds this season of 192 – the 12^th highest supported club in their division.  They picked up 361 on the opening weekend against Ashford United - although that game was a free admission fixture

 “We recognise that during these tough financial times we would like to give everyone the opportunity to come along to Park View Road and cheer on the Deres,” added the statement.

“We also have come really exciting community projects in the pipeline and we hope to be in a position to announce these very soon.”