We probably need a few things to fit into place off-the-pitch so that we understand that we’re working with and what the expectation is for next season, says Tunbridge Wells manager Steve Ives

TUNBRIDGE WELLS manager Steve Ives says there is some green shoots of recovery and a little bit of daylight in terms of hospitality facilities at Culverden Stadium.

The club have been without the use of its clubhouse since suffering from a catastrophic fire on 12 January 2023.

The club put in temporary facilities but home players have to enjoy their post-match meal and drinks in the open, standing on the terracing and open to all elements, while most away teams get in their cars and drive off after games.

The ninth-tier club has lost match day revenue and Ives revealed that his playing budget was reduced this season due to the loss of the revenue stream.

“We’re sitting out in the cold, at least it’s not raining.  It’s not ideal and it’s quite clearly not ideal for Scott (Bartlett, chairman) either.  I’d settle for hot water and a roof over my head.

“It’s just tough times but hopefully there’s some green shoots of recovery.  Hopefully there’s a little bit of daylight on the horizon now, as I understand the new lease is almost in place which then triggers the clubhouse and once the clubhouse is up and running, we’re a different animal really aren’t we?

“It’s no secret the clubhouse generates a lot of revenue on match-days and hiring it out for parties and things like that.

“I don’t know for the fact because it’s speculation but I would suggest there’s more money (players’ wages in our league) this season than last season and we ain’t, so quite clearly that makes our life a little bit harder than it was last season.

“I don’t imagine that’s likely to change too much looking at some of the teams that are on the cusp of promotion, so it’s probably going to be another tough one, so we need to move forward with everyone or we’ll be left behind.”

Tunbridge Wells finish their campaign with six games in 12 days, starting with a 2-0 home defeat to Faversham Town last Monday.

Ives call upon the Southern Counties East Football League to play more midweek games during the early stages of the season, especially as this season has been played during the wettest winter in England since records began.

“I wouldn’t want to be the fixture secretary for this League if you paid me a lot of money, so I’m not going to throw stones at somebody who’s quite possibly a volunteer,” said Ives.

“It does feel like we don’t get that many home midweek games in the months of August and September, when the weather tends to be better.

“You haven’t got to be a genius to know unfortunately until the drainage goes in, which I’ve been told is happening in the summer, but all the time this pitch hasn’t got drainage you’re not going to play too often on it through the wet months so it would be preferable – I don’t know if it’s possible – that we played a few more midweek home games in the warmer months.”

Fifteenth-placed Tunbridge Wells (41 points from 35 games) complete their Premier Division campaign with games against Hollands & Blair (away, tomorrow), Bearsted (home, Monday 22 April), Holmesdale (home, Wednesday 24 April) and Kennington (home, Saturday 27 April).

“We want to finish as strong as we can to leave the supporters’ and the playing squad and everyone associated with the club with a relatively positive memory of this season because it has been tough at times and it has been long,” added Ives.

“We then have to start to have conversations. We’re already talking to teams about pre-season friendlies, so the club are already talking about maintenance on the pitch, other maintenance going on around the place, so it never really stops.

“We probably need a few things to fit into place off-the-pitch so that we understand that we’re working with and what the expectation is for next season.”