Margate chairman Alistair Bayliss: This club will never throw money around like it used to and everything will be accounted for properly. I’m sure with my roots will also ensure this, I’m known for my penny pinching!!

MARGATE chairman Alistair Bayliss says he’s getting a grip on the club’s financial position going into the New Year.

The Scottish born chairman, who owns a coach firm, issued a statement on www.margate-fc.co.uk ahead of today’s vital Vanarama National League South clash against fellow strugglers Welling United at Hartsdown Park.

“It’s been a challenging few weeks as most people know since I took over but I feel we’re making great progress on and off the pitch,” said Mr Bayliss.

“I’ve been particularly busy building an Executive Management team around me to enable the club to move forward over the next few months.

“Many of you will have already seen a new face in Ms Sherine Whittle wandering around with me on a match day. Sherine will be joining us in a commercial role which will help stabilise and drive the club forward financially and will be a very important part of this football club in the coming years.

“Bryan Kemsley will also be joining us as a Finance Director in the New Year, again another vital part of stabilising the club and getting a grip of the financial position.

“This club will never throw money around like it used to and everything will be accounted for properly. I’m sure with my roots will also ensure this, I’m known for my penny pinching!!”

Margate welcome Jamie Day’s Welling United sitting in the bottom two with five wins, one draw and 15 league defeats and Mr Bayliss was full of praise for manager Nikki Bull and his assistant Steve Brown.

He said: “On the pitch both Nikki and Browny have been working flat out trying to bring in new players that will help get us out of this current situation.

“The last month has seen us play the teams that are first, second, sixth (twice) and eighth and we’ve competed tremendously well against all of them, unbelievably coming away with nothing.

“Normally when a team is on such a run, everyone is despondent around the club but seeing the hard work and effort our players are putting in shows that they want to do everything in their power to turn these results around. I’d like to thank them for their hard work and let them know that we’re behind them 100%.
 
“Finally, as this is our final home game of 2016 I’d like to wish you, our loyal fans a Happy New Year when it comes around. I promise that I’ll do everything I can to make 2017 a year for you all to be proud of Margate Football Club once again and thank you for the loyalty you’ve shown the club.”

Visit Margate’s website: www.margate-fc.co.uk