WHITES' chairman Jim Parmenter has voiced concern over the possibility of his predecessor Mick Kemp becoming a member of Dover Athletic Supporters’ Trust board.

Mr Kemp, who resigned as chairman in December amid Whites’ cash crisis, is one of the candidates for election to the trust board at Saturday’s annual meeting in the Centre Spot (3pm).

Mr Parmenter and his new board are steadily turning the club’s financial fortunes around, in conjunction with the Supporters’ Trust. He said: "The club board cannot interfere with the trust’s business, but in my personal view the election of Mick Kemp to the trust board would not be helpful."

Mr Kemp insisted that there were no "hidden agendas" behind his decision to stand: "If I am elected I would be one voice among 12.

"I just want to stay involved with the club, having been involved for two and a half years. I want to see it through, but it’s up to the members if I get elected on to the board."

Mr Parmenter acknowledged the role the trust has played in helping to keep the club going: "A joint effort is needed between the club and the Supporters’ Trust to clear the debt. I’d like to get it out of the way and increase the feelgood factor," he said.

"We are fully up-to-date with the CVA payments and we would like to finish paying off the CVA by the end of next season. We have also knocked a bit off the bank overdraft."

The previous board’s failure to file accounts in 2003 and 2004 have caused the club further outlay. Because of this oversight, the various grants which the club could have claimed for upgrading their floodlights were not available to them. Fortunately a well-wisher came forward to foot the bill. However, the club had to pay a £1,000 fine for late filing of 2003’s accounts and expects a £250 fine for the late filing of 2004’s accounts.

But Mr Parmenter is confident the club can now move forward: "We are still in administration and that limits what you can do, but the situation is looking a lot brighter than when we first took over."

The club board are currently in negotiations with a new main sponsor which Mr Parmenter described as "a major local company", and Whites are hoping to conclude negotiations within the next few days.

Hoverspeed, main sponsor for the past two seasons, will continue to support the club in other ways.