League warns clubs to clean up their act

Secretary Gavin Hoare has warned clubs could be expelled from the Kent County League if on-field discipline doesn’t improve. Seven matches were abandoned last season due to serious player misconduct and Mr Hoare says the league may present rule changes for the 2018-19 season should the problem occur again. Speaking at the league’s annual meeting in Sittingbourne, he said: “If you can’t control those setting out to give your club and this league a bad name, we will look at ways of doing it and if we have to take the ultimate sanction, then we would expect all those who share our beliefs and ethos to give us their full support. “Fixtures abandoned through serious player misconduct must carry the harshest of penalties. You can’t keep blaming match officials for all the problems. “The league have played its part and removed referees not making the grade, let’s see clubs rid themselves of the mindless few who can’t control themselves. “Persistent offenders can and will be removed. Eleven new clubs were elected, including some returning to the competition. They are Herne Bay Reserves, Lordswood Reserves, Faversham Town Reserves, Woodnesborough, Bromley Green, Tenterden Town, Deal Town Rangers, AFC Ashford Athletic, CC Sport, Red Velvet and AFC Lewisham. Three other existing clubs will field reserve teams – Deal Sports, Old Bromleians and South East Athletic.