Kentish Football 
Soccer Shorts: Striker Carl Rook quits Whitstable Town by text message
BECKENHAM TOWN boss Jason Huntley has echoed the thoughts of his opposite number Matt Longhurst after being drawn at home to their Southern Counties East Football League rivals Corinthian in the FA Cup with Budweiser Extra Preliminary Round on 17 August.
“Tough, but at least we are at home,” Huntley told www.beckenhamtonfc.co.uk.
“I’m disappointed that we have again drawn Kent League opposition, last season we drew Tunbridge Wells away in the FA Cup and Corinthian at home in the Vase. Now it’s Corinthian again.
“They are a very well organised side and it’s a tough opener for us and in the Vase again Haywards Heath from the Sussex County League are really tough opposition but we will look forward to welcoming them to Eden Park Avenue and I’m sure they will enjoy playing on one of the best surfaces in non-league.”
DARTFORD manager Tony Burman has confirmed that his summer signing from AFC Hornchurch, striker Lewis Smith, 23, has taken up a career opportunity in Australia for three-months but the door remains open for him to resume his footballing career at Princes Park upon his return to England.
EBBSFLEET UNITED have confirmed that David Jupp has been appointed as the club’s new first team coach.
Manager Steve Brown told www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk: “I am delighted that David has agreed to join us and feel he completes what will be an experienced management team at the club.
“David is a UEFA A Licence coach and also holds an Academy Manager’s Licence.
“He worked at Brighton’s youth academy for over a decade and works on a number of FA programmes. He will be heavily involved in providing strength and conditioning programmes for the players.”
FAVERSHAM TOWN are staging a food festival on the training pitch at their Salters Lane ground on Sunday 18 August, starting at 12:00pm. There will be live bands, bbq, bar, local food produce, craft stalls and a kids korner. All profits will go to the club’s development fund.
MARGATE have confirmed that Tommy Whitnell (who has already re-signed for Cray Wanderers), Mark Corneille and Phil Starkey have left the club.
PHOENIX SPORTS’ first ever FA Vase opponents, Sidley United, have pulled out of all competitions, so the promoted Southern Counties East Football League club will receive a bye and will now travel to Banstead Athletic in the Second Qualifying Round on 21 September.
A club statement, which was posted on the club’s twitter feed said: “It is with sadness we announce that Sidley United FC will not be running a football side next year. After looking at the options it was decided that taking a year’s break was the best way forward for the long-term future of the club. This year off will allow us time to find new committee members to bring fresh ideas and to raise much needed funds. This will mean dropping out of the Sussex County Football League, we hope temporarily. It is hoped that in a years’ time we will be able to be back in our own ground, starting again from a new basis in whatever league we enter.”
SITTINGBOURNE opened their pre-season campaign by beating their Academy side 8-0 on Saturday. Striker Ryan Golding scored four, Joe Taylor netted a hat-trick with Connor Coyne scoring one. There were promising debuts by Nick Dunstan, Thomas Brunt and George Crimmen.
Meanwhile, the club held a sponsors’ dinner last Friday evening at their new ground at Woodstock.
Sittingbourne’s new chairman Maurice Dunk said he was pleased with the event saying that it was a successful evening in raising the profile of the club and the Woodstock club and its magnificent facilities.
The event was hosted by the Sittingbourne member of parliament Gordon Henderson and his constituency manager John Burke who are both helping the club by trying to attract new sponsors.
Mr Dunk said: “There is a lot of interest from new and existing sponsors but that new sponsors are always welcomed.”
Would be sponsored can get more information from club secretary John Pitts – bournefc@hotmail.com.
THAMESMEAD TOWN boss Keith McMahon has unveiled the return of Michael Power, who has rejoined the club from their Ryman Premier League rivals Cray Wanderers.
Power started out with the Mead before leaving six years ago and McMahon said: He’s another experienced signing as we look ahead to life in the Ryman Premier.”
McMahon also confirmed that Baff Addae has re-signed for the new season, as the Bayliss Avenue club prepare for their inaugural Ryman Premier League campaign after winning the Ryman League Division One North play-offs last season after finishing a record best third-place.
McMahon told www.thamesmeadtownfc.co.uk: “It’s great to have Baff back. It’s great that so many of last years’ players have committed themselves for this year!”
Meanwhile, the club have announced a three-year sponsorship package with A2 Cabs of Sittingbourne.
Director Paul Bowden-Brown said: “This sponsorship confirms the board’s commitment to ensure that the football club in its entirety will have a sound financial foundation to build for the future and this significant agreement will be the first of many that are being discussed at this time to support this view.
“I’d like to send my sincere thanks to Dave Jones, director of A2 Cabs, for showing his support and recognizing what the directors of the Thamesmead Town Football Club are trying to achieve as we look to put the name of Thamesmead Town Football Club well and truly on the footballing map.”
VCD ATHLETIC are making one of the longest trips in non-league’s warm-up calendar to take on the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League’s Warrington Town. Tony Russell’s side will make a round trip of nearly 500 miles to play at Cantilever Park on Saturday 3 August, a week before the Crayford-based club embark on their Ryman League Division One North campaign.
Meanwhile, the only transfer news coming from the club is that striker Richmond Kissi, who had arrived from Erith & Belvedere, has made a u-turn and has signed for Ryman League Division One South newcomers Redhill instead.
WHITSTABLE TOWN boss Nicky Southall says striker Carl Rook, who he signed from Margate last month, has quit the club after playing only 45 minutes for the club in pre-season and is subject to an approach from his former club AFC Hornchurch.
“Carl Rook has left us,” Southall told www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk. “He informed me by text that he didn’t want to drop down to our level. It is interesting that we now have a seven-day request from Hornchurch for Carl so read into that as you want.
“So as one door closes another opens for someone else as we have a number of very exciting young forwards that want to step up to the plate who are more hungry and committed so we will have a look during the next few weeks.
“We now have completed 11 sessions to date and the squad is looking lean and mean. Their bodies are taking shape and the effort and attitude at excelling in professionalism is starting to kick in.”
WHYTELEAFE have unveiled former Croydon boss John Fowler as their new manager. Croydon, meanwhile, have confirmed former player Aaron Smith takes charge at Croydon Sports Arena.
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