Sittingbourne have cleared their debts but chairman Maurice Dunk claims a change of division would cost them £20,000.

The club have settled up at Bourne Park and hope to generate funds at a sponsorship evening hosted by Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson on Friday night.

Mr Dunk said: “I’m pleased to say we’ve cleared the debt with the Bourne Park landlord, so we’re where we wanted to be at this stage.

“We needed to be debt-free to draw a big fat line under whatever had gone wrong in the past and now we can move forward.

“I don’t think we’re in a position to publish the figures but it’s been in the press that the club were struggling.”

Brickies will be moved into Ryman League Division 1 North if Thurrock win their appeal on Friday against a three-point deduction.

Mr Dunk is ready with an appeal of his own should that happen and claims North football would cost the club thousands.

He said: “The derbies we’d miss out on would cost us £10,000 and the 19 journeys through the Dartford Tunnel another £10,000, so that’s £20,000 we’re looking at."