Sporting Club Thamesmead manager Joe Ford admitted to hospital after falling ill on eve of Rochester United trip

SPORTING CLUB Thamesmead decided to postpone their Southern Counties East Football League First Division game at Rochester United yesterday owing to their manager failing ill.

Joe Ford was taken into hospital on Friday evening and his father Martin revealed his son’s condition on Twitter: “Please can you all say a prayer for my son Joe, who is in hospital fighting sepsis.

"Thanks for all the support. We are reading the messages out to Joe every day.

"Joe has acute leukemia and sepsis.  They need to get rid of the sepsis before they can treat the leukemia.  They are throwing everything at this and Joe is fighting back. He has survived another night."

A club statement said: “Our manager Joe Ford isn’t very well and is currently in hospital. We wish him a speedy recovery and know he will beat this. 

“Thanks to the Southern Counties East Football League and Rochester United for their support.”

The fixture will have to be re-arranged during the last month of the season.

Ford, who resides in Bexley and owns his own football coaching business, has guided Sporting Club Thamesmead to ninth-place in the First Division table, while Rochester United are second-from-bottom, a couple points adrift of safety.

The Acre also reached the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup, but were beaten 7-1 on aggregate by Premier Division side Chatham Town.

The Kentish Football community wish Joe Ford a speedy recovery and our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family during this sad time.