Steve Devereux and Richmond Kissi quit Kent Football United: We cannot stress as a club how disappointed we are with the last two months

KENT FOOTBALL United officials have released a statement revealing the reasons behind the resignations of joint-managers Steve Devereux and Richmond Kissi on Saturday evening.

The rookie pair took charge of the Dartford club on Sunday 7 July 2019 after Danny Wakeling left the club three days earlier to take over at newly-promoted Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division side Welling Town.

Deveruex and Kissi left the Dartford based club on Saturday following a 4-1 defeat at bottom-of-the-table side Bridon Ropes. 

Kent Football United are sitting in the bottom three in the Southern Counties East Football League table First Division table with four points from their opening six games.

Kent Football United started the campaign with a 6-2 home defeat to Forest Hill Park, before coming away from Holmesdale with a 1-1 draw.

A 4-1 home defeat to Meridian VP followed, before they came away from Sporting Club Thamesmead with a 2-1 win at Bayliss Avenue on 22 August.

Kent Football United followed that with a 5-0 defeat at home to Rochester United, before they were knocked out of The FA Vase at the first hurdle, going down to a 1-0 extra time defeat at league rivals Snodland Town, before losing at Bridon Ropes at the weekend.

Deveruex issued a statement earlier today, revealing the reasons behind their departure and the club issued the following statement.

“We have accepted the resignation of Steve Devereux and his management team following the defeat to Bridon Ropes,” said a club statement.

“The two months in charge has seen no progression at all with over 30 players even some un-signed just turning up to training and no settled squad or side being established.

“Equipment provided being lost and mistreated with the club expected to replace on a weekly basis, was not acceptable!

“No club at any level would pay out for tracksuits for 30+ people who just turn up when they feel like it!

“We are a hard-working non-league club and we will not throw out money down the drain.

“During the games we had a home match against Meridian where the opposition was there from 1.30pm and our players did not arrive until two o’clock and some at 2:30pm which again is just not acceptable!

“There was no structure in place and that starts from the management.

“We also had a situation where one of the newly appointed coaches to our side turned up against Rochester United wearing another teams top to coach our team and our club had no idea who he was, which again just shows the unprofessionalism of the situation.

“The club made no such aims that top four had to be achieved we as a committee were told by our previous management team they would deliver that during their interview for the position.

“They were "confident" they had the contacts to challenge for those positions, which was clearly not the case.

“The results have not been good enough and now we have made a fresh approach with Rupert Jones assisted by Sam MacNeil taking charge to steer us clear of the relegation places and hopefully into a more positive, structure and organised rest of the season.

“We thank our previous management team for their time with the club and wish them the best.

“The club felt we were nursing the team along almost micro-managing the management which we don't have to do for our Under 7s and Under 8s sides.

“The team has so much potential which is not being realised in any shape or form.

“We cannot stress as a club how disappointed we are with the last two months.

“It has been very difficult to watch unfold week by week and hard-working volunteers do not deserve that to happen.

“At no point were other managers touted for the job. The club will not tolerate excuses. The role was theirs and they did not succeed within it and that is where the case ends results have not been good enough and during a season where the bottom two go down we are not prepared for this to go on any longer.

“If the resignation had not arrived the defeat to Bridon Ropes would have been their last on charge regardless. Our club deserves better for how far we have come in the last few years.”

The club appointed Rupert Jones, who assisted his brother Owen, at Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division side Erith & Belvedere, earlier today and Sam MacNeil, the club’s women’s team manager, has returned to the dug-out as head coach.

Jones’ first game in charge of the club will be against Kent County League Premier Division side Crockenhill in the Hospitals Charity Cup First Round next Tuesday 17 September.