Herne Bay suffering from financial hardship, reveals newly-appointed chairman Sam Callander

HERNE BAY’S recently installed chairman Sam Callander has revealed that the club is currently suffering from financial hardship.

The club were relegated after just one season in the Isthmian League Premier Division after finishing third-from-bottom having picked up 33 points from their 42 league games in the seventh-tier of English football.

The Bay are currently managerless after Kevin Watson stepped down at the end of the season.

Callander took over as chairman three weeks ago, although the club announced the appointment this morning.

John Bathurst has been appointed vice-chairman, Martyn Sexton (secretary), Jo Hammond (treasurer) and Allan Birchard, Peter Whittaker and Chloe Gardner (directors).

“As with many non-league clubs, we find ourselves in a time of financial hardship, but through tireless work from people in the background, the support of the incredible fans, fantastic empathy and overwhelming support shown from our creditors, our sponsors, our CIC members, in fact, the whole community, we believe we have stabilised the club,” said Callander in a club statement.

“At the end of last week, the club overcame the biggest hurdle it faced.

“This stability gained for this great club will mean some tough weeks or months ahead but Herne Bay deserves and more importantly you, the fans, deserve to keep this football club sustainable for many years to come.

“Our first aim is to appoint a new first-team manager as soon as possible so they can then put together a squad that will be competitive in this league.

“We will continue to scrutinise opportunities and all forms of potential revenue streams to maximise the superb facilities Herne Bay Football Club has to offer.

“We now have the opportunity to drive this club forward.

“We will be encouraging as many of you as possible to join the CIC. We will be looking at appointing at least two more directors to the board and we will have a management committee of at least one representative from every section of the club.  We believe we have strength in numbers.

“This is the start of a new future, a further that belongs to you, the loyal supporters of our club.”

Callander broke into the first team at Herne Bay Football Club aged 15 under Jason Lillis and scored on his debut in a friendly against Folkestone Invicta. He eventually moved off to Chelsea scoring 48 goals for the Academy before picking up a six-month long injury.

After a period or rehabilitation, he moved to Ebbsfleet United where he played with Michael West and was breaking into the first-team the year that Ebbsfleet won The FA Trophy in 2008.

After a season at Dagenham & Redbridge and short spells at Gillingham and surrounding clubs, he found himself back at Stonebridge Road.

His passion to continue full-time football dissipated so he attended university and went on to run his own successful business.

Callander is the current manager one of the club’s Kent Youth League sides, a role that he will be continuing next season. 

“Even with his new role as chairman he has no intension of that changing and is looking forward to being under 14s manager next season,” added the club statement.

Callander replaces Stuart Fitchie, who has recently announced his departure from Winch’s Field, which will once again be staging Isthmian League South East Division football next season.

Callander featured in Ebbsfleet United’s Football Conference Youth League Championship Play-Off, which they lost 4-2 at home to Thatcham Town back in May 2008. Apologises for the shocking font colour in the original report.

Playing for Ian Docker’s side that day were West, Rob French, Grant Duff, Tom Parkinson, Chris Kinnear and Steven Springett, while current Dartford striker Alex Wall featured for Thatcham Town.

Visit Herne Bay’s website: www.hernebayfootballclub.co.uk