Herne Bay want to lay a new pitch to replace the battered Winch’s Field playing surface which has been over-used in recent years.

By the time Bay entertain Three Bridges in Ryman League Division 1 South on Saturday week, it will be more than a month since they last played at home.

Their local derby against Whitstable was the only fixture in Kent to be called off on Boxing Day and last Saturday’s game against Worthing was also postponed.

Bay have ground-shared with Canterbury City since November 2010 and the deal, although financially helpful, has been bad news for the pitch.

But that agreement finishes at the end of this season and Bay director Ron Boddy is keen to make long-term improvements.

He said: "There’s a plan in place to get £10,000 funding for a complete renovation in the spring, a proper clear-up of the pitch, fresh seeding and a lot of work done to it so that by the start of the 2014/15 season it’s in a much better state.

"It gets played on too much. The income (from Canterbury’s rent) is important to us but on the reverse side, the pitch gets played on too much.

"As our under-18s and ladies’ teams have improved, they’re now required to play at Winch’s Field and our under-21s also play there in the Kent County League."