The annual pre-season friendly between Whitstable Town and Herne Bay has been shelved.

Played since 2007 for the Bruce Smith Shield to honour the Belmont club’s veteran stalwart, a misunderstanding over dates and Bay’s feeling the fixture has lost its novelty value, now the two teams are Ryman League Division 1 South rivals, means it’s been lost.

Town originally requested staging the game on Saturday, July 11, which Bay chairman Bill Dordoy admits they “half agreed” to but things changed when manager Sam Denly arranged a friendly with Ryman League, North side Tilbury on the same day.

Bay then approached Town seeking a midweek date but that couldn’t be fitted in.
Whitstable chairman Gary Johnson said: “The main person here is Bruce and I feel disappointed for him. We will arrange another fixture in his name.”

Mr Dordoy added: “Sam thought playing Tilbury was more appealing, and didn’t want to show his hand too soon, as we could be playing Whitstable in the league as early as August Bank Holiday Monday.

“Recent games between the sides have been feisty with seven or eight red cards and I can’t see the point of playing them when we will face them twice in the league and maybe the League Cup and Kent Senior Cup as well.”