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National League South Tonbridge Angels are planning for a weekend game against St Albans but the future is uncertain

Managing a National League side at present is proving to be quite a challenge.

Tonbridge Angels reluctantly played their National League South match against Hampton on Saturday having already voted to null and void the season.

Tonbridge Angels manager Steve McKimm is dealing with more issues than normal this season Picture: David Couldridge
Tonbridge Angels manager Steve McKimm is dealing with more issues than normal this season Picture: David Couldridge

Other clubs chose not to play but the Angels board, who cited financial and safety concerns for their decision in voting to end the current campaign, feared severe sanctions would be imposed if they refused to play.

If those issues weren’t enough, the adverse weather led to their midweek trip to Concord being postponed and the players were unable to train.

McKimm, speaking on Tuesday, was preparing for a home game against title-chasing St Albans this Saturday, unable to give clarity on a number of issues as he was having to work within an ever-changing environment.

“It is dreadful,” said McKimm, when asked what it was like trying to manage the situation. “You don’t know what is going on, when you are going to be playing and you don’t know what teams are going to decide not to play.

“We are supposed to be playing Bath City next Tuesday. Is that going to go ahead? (Bath are one of the teams who have refused to play).

“There are so many things going on and there doesn’t seem any proper control over it. We just take it day by day and see what happens. We can’t plan because we don’t know if the rug will be pulled from under our feet.

“We are playing along at the moment. The board will have regular meetings to decide how we go about it, with the playing staff and whether the club can afford to have the players we have available at the moment playing or if we have to furlough them at some point.

“It depends on the club’s finances and depends on how long this situation is going to continue, whether it is going to carry on all season.”

The club this week highlighted the seriousness of the financial situation, saying: "With no money coming in since December, and wages and overheads still to pay out, the club will find itself insolvent by the end of the month. The National League has been informed of this fact."

McKimm has said his first team players are willing to take a cut to play on but until there is clarity from the league it is difficult for any decisions to be made.

Angels lost 3-0 on Saturday at home to high-flying Hampton & Richmond Borough. It was the club’s first competitive match since January 12 and McKimm admitted the better team won.

“We only had one training session, on the Thursday,” he said. “They had carried on with a few (friendly) games and it showed. We were a bit leggy and it didn’t happen for us.”

In a statement issued prior to that match, the board said that had voted to end the season, thanking the backroom team and playing staff “who have been living through an extraordinary period of uncertainty which has in no way been of their making”.

Read more on non-league football in Kent

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