Rusthall left in the dark

Sunday 10th May 2009

RUSTHALL boss John Ronaldson says the Kent County League should be kinder to successful cup sides next season, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Jockey Farm outfit have completed their Vandanel Kent County League Premier Division campaign in the bottom five, but Ronaldson, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk following his side’s 4-0 home victory over sixth-placed side Bearsted yesterday, wants more fixtures at the start of the season.

“Maybe the League can look at playing some fixtures in August next year and not so many at the end of the season, because you’re being penalised for your success in the cups,” he suggested.

“What you don’t want to do is to go to Bromley Green away on a Bank Holiday, Bly Spartans on a Wednesday, it’s hard work.”

Ronaldson spoke about the club, based down a country lane at Jockey Farm, Rusthall, a couple of miles outside of Tunbridge Wells, and their desire to gain promotion into the Bulmers Cider Kent League.

The ground at Nellington Road has room to make improvements, but Rusthall, like many other ambitious clubs at this level, are having problems getting planning permission for floodlights - a must for all clubs at Kent League level.

“We went for floodlight applications, it’s been turned down twice (by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council) for various reasons,” revealed Ronaldson.

“We want to be in the Kent League - that’s our aim.

“I want to bring a few players in and be knocking on the door but unfortunately because of the planning permission it’s going to let us down.

“Do we go for the floodlights or do we get the land redeveloped and have the pitch flattened because the area we’ve got around here?

“If we’re going to do it we might as well do the whole lot (including) the car park area.

“The cost we could probably cover, fund raising one way or another, grants. It’s literally the planning permission is the stumbling block at the moment.

“And from what I’ve heard most club’s, if they apply for planning permission for floodlights they won’t get it any more, it’s frustrating.”

Ronaldson says the only way that Vandanel Kent County League clubs can clinch promotion into the Bulmers Cider Kent League is by going down the groundshare route.

“I think Orpington are looking to do it, maybe go to Beckenham, groundshare with Beckenham,” he revealed.

“But it’s down to the committee here and how they want to pursue it.

“We want to be playing in the Kent League, the facilities here have improved over the last few years, there’s still more work to do, but we’re going in the right direction.

“What we don’t want to do is be one of these clubs who spend some money and full flat on our face. It’s like a building block, slowly but surely.”

But before Rusthall begin thinking about promotion, Ronaldson has to improve matters on the pitch.

He is, however, confident that he can lift the side from being in the bottom-five and be a top six outfit next term.

“As a manager your hands are tied, trying to attract players to the club,” he said.

“You can’t get the lights up, you can’t pay wages that they might get at Tunbridge Wells, Crowborough or Tonbridge.

“For what we’ve got here, we’ve got some good young players here, there’s some good young players coming in and we won’t be so far away next year.

“If we don’t get shot in the foot with the fixtures, we’ll definitely be in the top six next year.”

The club are in negotiations with Ryman Leaguers Thamesmead Town about a pre-season friendly at Jockey Farm, having met at Bayliss Avenue last summer.

A pre-season double-header has already been arranged at neighbouring Kent League side Tunbridge Wells on Saturday, 11th July.

Ronaldson added, “Ideally the club wants to be in the Kent League, playing the likes of Tunbridge Wells. We have a pre-season friendly (against them), which will be a good gage how we’re getting on.”

Visit Rusthall's website: www.rusthallfc.co.uk