Deal Town (in white) would face some long trips if the plans went ahead

Kent League clubs were unanimous in their support for the FA’s plans to restructure the non-league game, according to the league’s chairman Denise Richmond.

Member clubs met to discuss the National League System Step 5-6 Review last week.

Under the proposals the number leagues at “step 5” in the pyramid which feed into the Ryman, Southern and Northern Premier Leagues, would be reduced from 14 leagues of varying sizes to 12 divisions of 22 teams each.

“I do know that Kent clubs are supporting the proposals, as they voted unanimously at the meeting,” Richmond said.

“As for the future of the Kent League we don’t know what it’ll mean for the name and as a management committee we did have reservations, but we’re democratically elected to represent our clubs and that’s what we’ll do.”

It was feared the eight London clubs in the 16-team Kent League would be lumped in with a new London or Essex League, but under the new system they will be joined by six from elsewhere in the south-east, the most distant of which is Peacehaven & Telscombe from the Sussex County League.

Richmond said: “[The clubs] didn’t want to be split up, with some clubs having to go north of the river and others staying south. There were also some reservations about finances but Kent League clubs have always complained that they wanted more games and this outcome means they do stay together.”

Tunbridge Wells chairman Joe Croker gave the scheme his full support.

“We’re very much of the view that we don’t have enough games in a season,” he said. “Should we not do well in the cups we’d only have 15 or 16 home games a season and that’s enough to generate revenue or to keep up interest for our supporters.”

However, Croker warned the plans were likely to meet opposition in Sussex.

He said: “We suspect it’s going ahead anyway, but we know some of the Sussex teams, who would have the furthest to travel, are very much against it.”

Photo by IGOR KUPCO