Ryman Shock Decision: Newly promoted Whitstable support Dartford's bid - EXCLUSIVE

Tony Rouse, the chairman of Ryman League Division One South newcomers Whitstable Town, is another person supporting Dartford Football Club’s bid to be reinstated into the Ryman One South division, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Belmont Road club clinched promotion into the Ryman League after winning the Kent League double last term.

And Mr Rouse admitted that his first ever Ryman League Annual General Meeting, which lasted two and a half hours at Staines Town’s Wheatsheaf Park ground last night, was an eye opener.

“It’s very difficult for us to pass a legal comment as we weren’t officially voted in as a member when the vote was taken,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“However, if we had been allowed to participate into the vote, after we were elected into the Ryman League, we would have undoubtfully supported Dartford’s inclusion in Ryman League Division One South - geographically to us if made sense.”

Twenty-seven Ryman League clubs voted that Dartford were to be the ones that were forced to switch divisions, whilst Corinthian-Casuals (21 votes), a club that’s finished in the Ryman One South drop zone for two successive seasons received another reprieve, and Molesey (2) stayed where they were. Ten clubs abstained from voting.

“A lot of people in the room were using different terminology to justify their reasons,” revealed Mr Rouse.

“When Dartford, quite rightly, raised the point that they felt disenfranchised by any result because the voters were voting with one hand on their pocket.

“The chairman of the Ryman League said that it was “the most difficult annual general meeting” that he’s experienced in all his years as chairman “due to the confusion over the restructuring of the League.”

Mr Rouse said: “I would like to make the comment about the statement I’ve made about Dartford.

“I would say the situation that developed at the meeting was not pre-planned. It caught everyone, including the Ryman League committee, off guard and my personal feeling was that they dealt with it in a reasonably fit and proper manner.

“Although at times it seemed a bit farcical when there was amendments after amendments that were offered from the floor on the vote to be taken (on which club would switch from South to North)”

Back to Whitstable Town affairs, Mr Rouse explained why manager Marc Seager has been very quiet in the transfer market this summer.

“Marc’s keeping his cards very close to his chest,” he said.

“He’s got one or two players in the frame but I think quite rightly we want to get the players who won us promotion to the Ryman League the opportunity to play in the Ryman League.

“I think as a supporter and first and foremost, even though I’m chairman, I’m a supporter of he club, I would be very upset if the players weren’t given that opportunity.

“Providing we can work within our budget, which Marc is very aware off, we are prepared to support Marc in everyway we can, within the realms of what we can afford.”

PLEASE NOTE:
This article was written before the board meeting held by Dartford Football Club, who decided to "reluctantly accept " the Ryman League's decision to switch them into Ryman League Division One North.

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk