Club Statement
The following statement has been issued by the directors of Kingstonian Football Club.
We would like to clarify the position with regard to Kingstonian Youth Football Club, a Club which has used the Kingstonian name, brand, crest, and team colours since 2004.
Although independent, with their own identity and constitution, Kingstonian Youth F.C. was originally set up with responsibility for the development and growth of Youth teams on behalf of the Main Football Club. There is a clearly defined link, not only in name, between the two Clubs. Furthermore, the chairman of Kingstonian Youth F.C. has been an honorary member of the Main Football Club board for a number of years, and has been invited to and attended Main Club board meetings.
The Club recruited Nigel James to manage the Club’s Under 18s Isthmian Youth League team when Stephen Drewett advised that he was standing down. It was subsequently discovered that he was leaving to manage the Colliers Wood United F.C. Under 18s team. At no stage were we informed of this decision.
When questioned, he advised that he was continuing to chair Kingstonian Youth F.C.
The suggestion that there has been no contact from Kingstonian F.C. is untrue. Over the previous twelve months there have been several attempts to contact Kingstonian Youth F.C., and even in the last forty-eight hours a written invitation was issued by the Main Club board for the Kingstonian Youth F.C. board to meet with them and discuss perceived issues. Regrettably, all attempts have not received a response.
However, it is clear that the decision to change to Colliers Wood United Youth F.C. was pre-meditated by the Kingstonian Youth F.C. board, and that trials held yesterday and advertised as being for a Kingstonian-connected club were misleading to parents and children.
We sincerely apologise to all parents and children that attended the trials believing that they would be trialling for a Kingstonian-connected club, although we are clearly not responsible for this situation, as we were unaware of the plans made by the Kingstonian Youth F.C. board to change the name.
We have always been and will remain a Community-Based Club with the provision of Youth football for every boy and girl, regardless of ability, in the local area as one of our core values.
It is clear that there will be a necessity to rebuild Youth football within the Club. We will do this whilst forging our own close links with schools, sports clubs, and community groups in the local area.
We do not intend making any further public comment on this matter.
