Operations Director Paul Bowden-Brown leaves Rochester United after successfully securing a new 25-year lease for Spartans' to stay at Rede Court Road

PAUL BOWDEN-BROWN has revealed his reasons behind leaving his role as operations director at Rochester United.

 

Mr Bowden-Brown has secured a new 25-year-lease with landlords The Church Commissioners of England to continue to play at their ground at Rede Court Road in Strood.

“This lease extension secures the ground’s future as a home for Rochester United to play and train at the heart of their local community for years to come,” said Guy Webb, principal asset manager at The Church Commissioners for England.

“The agreement will also ensure future generations continue to enjoy the enormous social benefit the football club brings to the area, not least as a source of local pride.”

The lease extension ensures the 6.9 hectare site will remain a dedicated space for both the football club and the wider community to train and hold matches at the football ground that has been home to the tenth-tier club since 1984.

Mr Bowden-Brown said: “We wish to thank everyone involved in the process in particular The Church Commissioners who fully understand the club’s vision for proposed improvements.

“In agreeing our 25-year lease, the club can now ensure we become an even stronger part of the local community, as well as update the sports ground to support not only the first team but also a vibrant youth set-up.”

Chairman and manager Matt Hume guided the Medway club to a fourth-placed finish in the Southern Counties East Football League First Division table, having picked up 59 points (19 wins, two draws and nine defeats) from their 30 league outings.

The Spartans’ lost their Play-Off Semi-Final by a single goal away to Staplehurst Monarchs United last Wednesday night.

Larkfield & New Hythe will be playing in the Premier Division for the first time next season, as Danny Lye’s side beat Paul Atkins’ side in an awful Play-Off Final, courtesy of a 61^st minute own goal from Grant McIheron yesterday.

Reflecting on his departure from Rochester United, Mr Bowden-Brown said: “I was appointed to the role by Lloyd Hume last March 2023 to use my extensive experience to benefit the club with several main tasks, firstly change the structure of the club to a CIC and set up a new board, all to assist with any future funding of capital projects and most importantly to negotiate a long lease for the football club with the landlords.

“The club had suffered previous long delays in moving forward and only had a short time left on their lease, well after one year of personal hard work with a lot of delays and frustrations due to normal bureaucracy that is the norm when negotiating a lease of this length, but I got there in the end with the goodwill of the Church Commissions our landlords and their agents Strutt & Partners and the lease was finally signed last week giving the club security of tenure for 25 years.

“My decision to resign was purely based on the fact that Lloyd had moved on earlier this year to deal with other business interests and as he employed me I felt my aims for the club were different due to the current decisions being made by the board, therefore it was a simple decision in the end, so once the lease was signed, I knew I would be leaving the club in a more secure position that when I arrived a year ago.

“I wish Matt Hume, the owner, chairman and manager of the club, Ian Docker (assistant manager) and the players and supporters’ the very best for the future whatever that may be.”

Mr Bowden-Brown, who has previously been involved with Maidstone United, Thamesmead Town, Ramsgate and Ashford United, says he is available for a new role at another Kent based non-league football club.