Kennington

Kennington are returning to play at the Julie Rose Stadium. The Kent County League Premier Division side were forced to play their home games at Sandyacres last season, but have now reached agreement with Ashford Leisure Trust. New chairman Jon Lancaster, elected to replace outgoing Graham Oxley at last week’s annual meeting, said: “It has all fallen into place in the last couple of weeks, and the move back will allow us to keep progressing after last year’s brilliant season. Our under-18 side will also play there on Sunday mornings.” Mr Lancaster added: “We had to move as we didn’t fit the criteria required by the league concerning the stadium’s availability. “We can now play from the start of the season in August to May, and will seek to be fixtured away from home in the two or three games when we won’t be able to use Julie Rose. Peter Le Rossignol and the ALT have been fantastic.” Reflecting on his five years in the post, Mr Oxley, who is moving to live in Spain, said: “I always saw the role as being someone who would try to move the club forward wherever possible, and despite it being mostly a case of two steps forward and one step back I think that overall we have progressed during my tenure. “I think the time is right for a new chairman. “The club needs new ideas and enthusiasm at the top, indeed it needs new blood in the committee as a whole. It has always operated with too few people and if we could swell the committee then so much more could be achieved.” Meanwhile the club have appointed John Ovard as assistant to first team manager Dan Scorer.