New chairman must put in the graft, says Ingleston

ANDY INGLESTON, one of eight people trying to stabilise troubled Kent club Folkestone Invicta, says whoever takes over the club must be prepared to put in hard graft.

A team consisting of Mr Ingleston, Clive Arnold, Nigel Busbridge, Bob Dix, Brian Merryman, Phil Orris, Jim Pellatt and Gordon Wallis discussed the club’s future at a meeting at the club last Friday evening.

At the present time, the board of directors consists of Messrs Busbridge, Dix and Merryman, whilst the position of chairman remains vacant.

Mr Pellatt remains company secretary, whilst Mr Orris (health and safety officer) and Mr Arnold (supporters’ club chairman) form part of Invicta’s recovery team along with Mr Wallis, former director and chairman of the club.

One director told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk this week that Mr Wallis had contact him about an invite, a wish that was accepted as the matters to be raised at last Friday’s meeting were of a direct, legal concern to those who had been a director at the club in the last three years.

“Gordon (Wallis) has said that he wants to help the club and we are very pleased to accept that offer,” Mr Ingleston told the club's official website.

“Recent publicity surrounding the club hasn’t been overly constructive, not aided by recent ill-conceived local press coverage.

“But Friday’s meeting, coupled with a positive agenda to resolve the club’s off-the-field issues should herald the start of change.”

As has been common knowledge for a number of years, both Mr Ingleston and Mr Dix have stressed that they will step aside when the right people are ready to take over their roles.

Until that time, both are prepared to continue to operate within the club, until stability and persons with the necessary skills and commitment are available.

Mr Ingleston said, “We have only stayed to ensure the club is left in good hands but unfortunately people have disappeared leaving things incomplete and we are all left to pick up the pieces.

“What a board needs is stability and had it not been for us, Brian (Merryman) and Nigel (Busbridge) there would be no stability whatsoever.

“The same applies to Jim Pellatt who has continued as company secretary, bringing a welcome sense of order and organisation to company affairs.

“We don’t have a chairman and until somebody comes forward we will not have one. Being chairman is a very difficult position as the individual is often unrealistically expected to spend their own money to make ends meet.

“The current feeling is that the club should begin to become more self supporting or the responsibility for any short fall should after the number of years the current directors have been involved pass to someone else.”

Questioned about his own involvement at the club, Mr Ingleston replied, “New people who have come to the club have always been given a free reign and it should be no secret that Bob (Dix) and myself have wanted to step down for over three years now.

“The club has been run traditionally by successful small businessmen who have achieved success by rolling up their sleeves, doing all the necessary jobs and metaphorically speaking, kicking every ball.

“They feel leadership is all about leading from the front and by example. Folkestone Invicta is not the place to try to implement long-term corporate strategies, creating a blame culture before the short-term is stabilised.

“The culture of this club is different; we need workers, team players, all-rounders, people who are more than willing to get their hands dirty - it’s all too easy to fiddle while Rome burns.

“Nothing can be beneath you, for example, on many occasions directors have had to shop at Morrisons before a game.

“The club cannot be run by attendance on match days only. Everyone needs to understand what is required on match days such as collecting personnel, opening up the ground and facilities, cleaning up, switching on the heating.

“Much has to be done the day before a match including ensuring all arrangements are in place for hospitality, organising floats for gatemen and programme sellers - this entails ensuring we have change, for example.

“During Bob’s time as chairman, his own personal tasks entailed repairing showers and doing basic plumbing!”.

Article courtesy of Tom Marchant and Sam Jones - www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Metropolitan Police v Folkestone Invicta
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 7^th January 2009
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Metropolitan Police (Imber Court) Sports Club, Ember Lane, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 0BT