A youth football coach has admitted pocketing thousands of pounds from parents meant to pay for their children to see a Premier League match.

Clinton Hunter was coaching the under-9s at Chartham Sports Club when he organised the outing.

After taking their money, he then claimed the trip had been cancelled and he had been defrauded of the cash.

But he has since pleaded guilty at Medway Magistrates' Court to 20 thefts, totalling £2,315.

He has been released on bailed and the case adjourned until September 18 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Hunter, 34, a landscape gardener of Bolts Hill, Chartham, told police he used the money to pay off personal debts.

Chartham Sports Club chairman Mark Mowbray said Hunter had “dashed the children’s dreams.”

“As soon as this came to light, he was suspended and when he was charged, we told him to leave.” he said.

“To be honest, I’m furious because I considered him a friend, but not any more.

“He hasn’t apologised and left the parents out of pocket and the children’s dreams dashed.”

Mr Mowbray said Hunter, who previously played for Chartham, had been a respected coach at the club for around 10 years.

"He hasn't apologised and left the parents out of pocket and the children's dreams dashed" - Mark Mowbray

“He seemed a nice guy so it is all the more difficult to swallow and I’m hugely disappointed in him,” he said.

Magistrates heard the outing had been planned for the children to go to a Tottenham versus West Brom fixture on May 5.

Money was collected in advance from the victims and the majority paid into the bank account provided by Hunter.

But days before the trip, he told parents that it was no longer going ahead due to a problem with the company he organised it with.

But he promised they would be getting refunds within seven days. When the refunds did not materialise, the parents became suspicious and made their own inquiries.

Hunter claimed he was speaking to his bank regarding fraudulent activity, but it transpired he had used the money for his own personal reasons.

When interviewed by police, he made full admissions to the thefts and using it to pay his own debts and bills.

A parent, who gave money to Hunter but did not want to be named, said: “We paid £65 a ticket which is a lot of money for many of us so I am gutted, as are the children.

“What he did was appalling and everyone is disgusted.”